To the Editor,
Why is it that the state can’t get its’ educational priorities straight, since the “kids” are our future?

It’s simple; over 100 years ago we needed men and women to fill a need in industry. These individuals didn’t have a need to know about money, only what they were getting an hour and how to pay their bills.

School districts all over the country fell prey to the philosophy to push them through school so we can be a powerful economic force. And in the pushing there wasn’t a need to teach them that they could be more than spokes on the wheels of prosperity, but a vital force to expand that success. So the study of money, how it works and how to use it was left out.

Now we are faced with a dilemma, our money is not money any more, (backed with gold). It’s currency floating in value on the world market. Big business has shipped thousands, if not millions, of jobs overseas, or has sold out to foreign concerns that have no interest in supporting U.S. workers. Is there any possible answer to fixing this?

Yes, there is, but it will be a work in progress for several years if we start now, decades if we don’t. We need to not just look at our current system, but at a model that would first create an atmosphere of entrepreneurship. Students who have a vested interest in their own businesses would be able to do many beneficial things, like raise the tax base, contribute to the educational system and lower crime. They would leave a legacy for their posterity to build on instead.

Students who are taught about having their own businesses would need, even want, to know more on how to grow it through an education about what money is and how to use it. Some of these same young business owners would start to fill the empty storefronts in town. They could give back to the school district with donations, mentoring, and time to help others find the “American Dream.” These future business people would able to hire others reducing crime and welfare in our city. And yet we struggle with outdated early 20th Century concepts of money.

We need to revisit the late 19th Century to see that most people had farms and knew enough about money to calculate the worth of their crops. Some farmers had stores in town to feature their specialties so that people wouldn’t have to make the trip out of town. This concept has been the backbone of the successful small business person. Why not let our future generations regain the greatness we have lost?

Jack Yeager
Candidate for Antioch Board of Education

We desperately need to establish some cell phone etiquette in this country. I am so tired of standing in line behind someone at the checkout stand at Safeway who is talking on the phone about something terribly earth-shattering, like what she was wearing last night at the party, and completely ignoring the poor checker trying to do her job.

This happened to me just today. The checker asked for the woman’s Club Card, a question the woman would not have missed had she been paying any attention. But since she was talking non-stop on the phone, she did not scan her card. When the bill was totaled, the woman was then very irate that the total was more than she expected, and it took another 5 minutes for her to check out because the checker had to re-ring some items to show their prices to her.

Well, OK. If you’re not going to pay attention to what’s going on around you, you might miss some important stuff.

And don’t even get me started on texting. You’ve probably seen the woman on YouTube who is texting while walking, and texts herself right into a fountain. I call that swift justice.

Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I think people should be respectful and courteous when conducting transactions in a store, at the doctor’s office, at the bank, or pretty much anywhere people are engaged in business-related communications. For that matter, what can be so all-fired important that you have to either have a phone in your ear yakking while you are shopping or you have to be texting while you’re walking down the street?

What did these people do before cell phones? How did they cope? Was life so completely bereft of joy and happiness because they couldn’t broadcast their most trivial thought every moment of the day?

In this 21st century of Facebook, Twitter, cell phone conversations, texting and other non-contact sports, maybe it’s time to return to some 20th century social interaction that doesn’t require any technology.

So here’s what I propose: let’s try talking to each other face-to-face. When you’re in the grocery store, at the gas station, in the bank, at the mall, hang up the phone, stop texting and smile at the person next to you. Strike up a conversation with someone in line with you. Talk to the nice checker as she’s ringing up your purchases. Wish her a nice day for a change.

Hey – at least it’s a start.

Shelley Daley

The display of indifference to human suffering by Alameda police and firemen during the drowning of Raymond Zack is reminiscent of a case I handled in Contra Costa County.

On July 19, 2009, I begged the Human Resources Director to use “wise managerial discretion in preventing what could be a catastrophic mistake should XXX deteriorate to an irreversible physical condition.” As union steward, I was writing a letter on behalf of a county employee of the Employment and Human Services Department who was experiencing major life difficulties.

In a one and a half-year period, XXX saw the death of her mother and brother, hospitalization of her husband and foreclosure of her home. The string of tragedies weakened her physical and emotional well-being resulting in frequent absences from work. Due to the absences, her salary was not enough to cover a $24.61 automatic deduction payment share towards her medical insurance, a benefit available to all county employees.

The County Auditor sent a deficit notice to her foreclosed home even though the paycheck issued by the same County Auditor had always been sent to her work. Unaware of the situation, XXX made no payment and her medical insurance was cancelled. According to county policy, it could not be re-instated until the next benefit enrollment period one year later.

XXX faced an impossible vicious cycle. She needed daily medication to function. Without medical insurance she had to buy her own medicine. However, without medication, she was too sick to work and earn enough money to pay for medication. In desperation, XXX applied for Medi-Cal from the very department she worked in. XXX was told in a denial letter that since her employer provided medical insurance, she was not entitled to public assistance.

I was called to represent XXX for excessive absences. I appealed for re-instatement of her medical insurance as a solution to her attendance issues. I sent, via certified mail, my own personal check to pay for the unpaid balance. The check was returned.

For one year, XXX struggled with sporadic work attendance. When benefit enrollment time came, she was eager to again receive medical insurance and, finally, resolve medical and attendance issues. However, simultaneous to the re-instatement of her medical insurance, XXX was fired for excessive absences. Again, I begged; this time, to the Director of the Employment and Human Services Department, for a one month chance to prove that, with medical insurance and medication, XXX can maintain acceptable attendance.

To all efforts, I repeatedly heard a resounding “NO” from the Human Resources Director, Personnel Benefits Manager, Director and Assistant Director of Employment and Human Services Department, the five members of the Merit Board and the State Administrative Law Judge.

Employment termination was not the final tragedy. XXX died in February 2011 at the age of 42; apparently from irreversible deterioration of her physical condition.

Sadly, we cannot undo her untimely death. We can only hope for a county government that does not enshrine callous protocol and policy over justice and compassion.

Cynthia Ruehlig

Update:
Late breaking news! I just saw Mayor Jim Davis at the Memorial Day event and he said it’s on, no questions, for the 4th of July parade – he told the Chief of Police we really need to do this. Starting time is 10 a.m. on July 4 at 2nd and E streets in downtown Antioch. Parade participants can call me for event info (925) 756-7628 or e-mail me at walter.ruehlig@gmail.com. I will also put together an application for on-line posting.

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Aunt Millie, what next? Will they take Christmas away? I guess I just have to buck up, though, and realize times they are-a-changing. For a second straight year it looks like no Fourth of July celebration in historic Antioch.

Not to diminish the laudable efforts of Martha Parsons and Sue Davis, who gallantly rode to the rescue last year to salvage a march around Somersville Town Center. Nevertheless, we all know that parading around a mall can’t light a Roman candle to pirouetting around the Delta.

Admittedly, I’m a sucker for the likes of marching bands, Clydesdale horses, classic cars, dance troupes, Filipino folk dresses, Iowa Jima reeanactment floats and assorted clowns, real and perceived. Heck, what’s not to like about a red, white and blue birthday bash for 320 million folks? What inner child can’t yelp with delight at family barbecues, rockets red glare and lusty bars of Yankee Doodle Dandy?

Like a horse and carriage, love and marriage, the Fourth of July and the word celebration go hand in hand. Now some might argue, why celebrate in these hard times. I say, exactly, hard times are on us. Why wallow in the misery? Now’s precisely the time to, yes, prudently, and without touching the city coffers, have a little glee and remember our blessings.

So said, I’m trying to put together a streamlined parade with private backing. Understood, all the bells and whistles are out of the question as the whole extravaganza can run Antioch $90,000. Aerial pyrotechnics alone cost $1,000 a minute. Auto show, music stages, food booths and police coverage at double time and half can run up the tab.

I’ve been soberly putting out feelers for several weeks. I’d be willing to put together a morning parade to minimize crowd control issues. There would be no frills and a shortened route a la the Veterans Day affair. I’ve even had private security firms offer donated help and we’ve had portable restrooms generously donated in the past.

Challenge is, it’s, admittedly, late in the game that I discovered there was nothing planned this year. It is not my style to be unreasonable, to scramble, or to ask others to. I wholeheartedly commend our city staff for working so short-handed. I applaud our men and women in blue for the stellar job they are doing under the stress of acute under staffing and fully understand the police concern that even with private security they will be the ones who could get called into action.

I’m still hoping, though, that some compromise can be worked out for this year from city discussions in progress. If it can’t, then let our representatives know your interest in Fourth celebrations and maybe with longer planning we can get something cooking next year. Antioch is a patriotic town and has always boasted a certified blue ribbon Independence Day parade.

Daniel Webster would have smiled upon our past efforts as he said, “May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely than this our country.”

Walter Ruehlig

Dear Editor:

Some one is lying.

There was an interesting article in a newspaper recently about BART wanting to put a tax on us for new cars. Why weren’t they factored into Capital Improvements?

Every meeting I have attended, BART Board Member Joel Keller has said the 40-plus years the people of Antioch and East County have paid into BART has gone into running the system, not building the system out to us. Now they say they need new cars so they want to tax us AGAIN. Who is lying to us?

It is more likely all the money we have paid into BART has gone for ridiculous wages, pensions and Board Member perks. I say no more money until they stop lying and throwing e-BART at us. We want to see the books, and they need to show us where our money has gone.

Martin Fernandez

Life should always have such ‘problems.’ After the dust was settled on the recent Antioch Community Center build out at Prewett Park, 1.7 million dollars is left in the kitty. For that, thank the competitive bidding process in a moribund construction climate. $26 million was allocated but only $24 million spent. Next step, then, what to do with the windfall? For sure, we will work diligently to try and leverage the remainder with grants and matching corporate funds.

Count Antioch, by the way, as historically having hit bingo twice on Mello Roos construction. The bond payoff was originally projected to end by roughly 2026, but the first phase, the completion of Deer Valley High, Dallas Ranch and Black Diamond Middle, and five elementary schools met with both better than expected interest rates and likewise favorable state matching funds. Dallas Ranch, for example, a $29 million construction project, received 9.2 million dollars back from the state.

I am proud to say that I and the Board majority stuck to our fiscally prudent guns. It voted to use that manna from heaven returned for the schools not to do additional city projects at Prewett but, instead, to pay down the debt early, leaving a 2016 date. The question, with some, then arises as to why we don’t use this latest boon to even further accelerate the Bond payoff. Legalities and voter commitments step into the picture, though, and inhibit our overriding a mandate.

In 1989 the voters agreed to tax themselves on this special property tax.The commitment was to build the eight schools and to spend 50 million dollars on city capital improvement at Prewett. The City had a Master Plan that envisioned a water park, library, hiking trails, community center and so forth. It is the City Council decision what to build; the Mello-Roos Citizen Advisory Board merely has oversight over the allocated budget expenditures.

So where do we now sit? Unarguably, we’ve got 8 gorgeous schools, a water park and now the recent amphitheatre, city hall kiosk, community room, gymnasium, library annex, preschool classrooms, technology center, police substation, and burrowing owl habitat.

For perspective, let me share last week’s tour of a film crew from CBS-Channel 5. I am pleased to say the reception was enthusiastic. The reporter remarked on the natural beauty of the facility, which sublimely blends into the hills, and a liveliness which she expressed that she rarely sees at other community centers.

Indeed, Prewett was abuzz with activity that day and is already proving itself a valued community hub. As the real estate market starts to rebound, it is our hope that this civic touchstone will attract buyers to the area and positively affect prices.

Fact is, we have most of what was originally schemed. Granted, there is no lake or garden walking trails; nor is there, yet, the grand 30,000 square-foot library we hoped for. That, though, may be a blessing as staffing such a facility would have been a pickle given current times. As offset, we have built the facility so that potential add-on will be easy. When the state gets back on its feet they will invariably restart long deferred library construction, which, historically, they pay 2/3 costs of. Remember, we lost sponsoring by a hair’s breadth and should be next in line for funding come future go around.

Though we can’t dictate what to do with the money, the Mello-Roos Board eagerly wants to share citizen input with the City Fathers. To date, some ideas circulated include athletic turf fields, a BMX Park, doggie park, expanded library extension, electronic marquee, lazy river pool feature, and nature trails.

We intend to structure varied public feedback opportunities and welcome you to our next meeting July 11th, 7 p.m., at 510 G Street. You can also drop a note by City Hall or the Community Center or e-mail me at walter.ruehlig@gmail.com.

The Community Center adds another crown jewel to Antioch, alongside the likes of the Black Diamond Mines, San Joaquin River, El Campanil Theatre, and the Antioch Historical Museum. The next jewel in the tiara will be an occasion to further rejoice.

Walter Ruehlig
President, Antioch Mello Roos Citizen’s Advisory Board

The change from a two-principal to one principal administration at Deer Valley High is is a sound financial and management decision by the board.

The student numbers do not support this luxury as enrollment has dropped to around 2,700. Antioch High has about the same number and is doing well as a one principal school. A good administrator with a strong support staff can run an effective educational campus. Very few school districts in the state operate with this dual model.

I salute Dr. Gill and the Antioch School Board for making the tough decisions.

I would hope that this “outraged” group against the change would direct their efforts by lobbying the State Legislature in restoring a budget that will ensure no cuts, no shortened school year, no P.E., Arts, Music cuts, librarians and nurses restored, etc.

Richard Asadoorian

In these trying times the citizens of Antioch should have the ability to change the direction their lives are headed by taking courses that offer new career opportunities. However, with the state trying to cut funds to education, our Adult Program was closed, when our citizens need it the most.
We need to reconsider this in our current economic state for both the city and its citizens.

Our Adult Program should offer a non-traditional perspective to ensure that our adults have an understanding of how money works, how credit cards play a double edged game and principles of self reliance to blend with their career goals.

Our students as well would benefit from such an education since the state doesn’t have it in its curriculum for K-12. Here’s an opportunity for the city to fill the vacant storefronts with home grown entrepreneurs from our own schools.

Jack Yeager
Candidate for next School Board Election