By Allen Payton, Publisher

I got the news through an email in September, that my friend and long-time community activist, Darnell Turner had died.

We had been friends for about 20 years and were both involved in the community. He served in a variety of capacities as a volunteer leader, but also as an elected member of the Los Medanos Healthcare District.

But that was after we first met and were part of something we called the Round Table, back in the early 90’s. It was made up of seven guys who wanted to make a difference in East County.

I only remember four of the members. Besides Darnell and me there was also Brett Howard, who led the effort to change the name of West Pittsburg to Bay Point, and Jim Becker, who led the non-profit Delta 2000 for a time. I went on to serve on the Antioch City Council from 1994-98.

Although a Pittsburg resident, Darnell was best known in Antioch in his capacity as President of the NAACP East County Branch and President of the Black Families Association – almost always with his sidekick, Willie Mims, with him at Antioch City Council and School Board meetings.

He would advocate and be a voice for those who were either afraid to talk or just weren’t sure who to talk to.

While we didn’t always agree on every issue, we maintained our friendship and mutual respect. Darnell was my Christian brother. I will miss him, and already do. He left this world too soon. But, he’s in a better place, now.

Those of us who he left behind must continue his work for equality for all.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

I spoke with candidate for the Antioch School Board, Barbara Cowan, today about her experience with the endorsement process of the Contra Costa County Democratic Party Central Committee. Three of the five Democratic candidates running for the board had sought the endorsement, but they only endorsed two candidates for the three seats, and both are African American.

Following are Cowan’s comments about it:

“It was the first interview I’d done. I was extremely nervous going in,” she said. “But, it was a very, very unpleasant experience.”

When asked who was involved in the interview, she responded, “I believe there were at least six people involved in the interview with one Hispanic and one African American on the panel.”

So what did she think was the reason she wasn’t endorsed for the third seat?

“There was a gentlemen there who took an issue with a remark I made and interrupted all the other questions, so he could argue with me,” said Cowan. “I told him I was talking about the API scores in Antioch. I indicated that on the history scores, that the teachers needed a little training. He came across angry and said, basically, not yelling, but very firmly, that it wasn’t the Antioch teachers but that is was a lack of support for the discipline. He’s a substitute teacher in Antioch and seemed very bitter and angry.”

“Maybe they looked at me as an ingenue or that I wasn’t qualified. After I was reamed by this guy a couple times, I stumbled over my words,” Cowan added. “I can tell you my interview didn’t go well. I answered the questions that I could, but maybe they may have chosen not to endorse me because of that.”

She doesn’t believe race was a factor in the endorsement decision.

“I’m not going to pull the race card. But I don’t feel it was fair because of the way I was treated,” she said.

Cowan was never informed that she hadn’t been endorsed.

“There was no feedback, not even a notification that I had not been endorsed,” she added.

So as far as the Antioch School Board election is concerned, I believe we can put to rest the concerns that race was a factor in how the Democrats chose their candidates. What we don’t know is the criteria that was used to decline the endorsement of Cowan, the only former teacher and principal running in Antioch, this year.

However, they only endorsed two of the three candidates who requested it for the three seats on the Antioch School Board

By Allen Payton, Publisher

This is to follow up on my recent commentary about the elections in Antioch and reporting on the concerns shared by some white Democratic candidates that the Contra Costa Democratic Central Committee only endorsed minority candidates for office.

I emailed the Democrats’ Endorsement Chair, Jeff Koertzen with the following questions:

“Mr. Koertzen,

I have been informed that you are the Endorsement Chair for the Contra Costa Democratic Central Committee.

In following up on my recent commentary on the Herald website regarding the elections in Antioch, I’d like to know did any of the following candidates seek the endorsement of the Contra Costa Democratic Central Committee?

Randy Benevides, Barbara Cowan, Diane Gibson Gray

The reason I ask is that the CCDCC only endorsed two Democratic candidates for the three seats, both African Americans, even though there are three other Democrats in the race.

Also, was race used as a criteria for the endorsements for the elections in Antioch? Knowing the history of support for Affirmative Action by the Democratic Party, is there a desire to promote minority candidates over white candidates, at the local level?

Finally, why is the Democratic Central Committee endorsing in what are supposed to be non-partisan races?

I look forward to your responses.

Thank you.

Allen Payton

Publisher”

Koertzen responded:

“Mr. Payton,

Regarding the three candidates you reference.

Randy Benevides did not respond to our correspondence (email and postal mail, no answer by phone).

Barbara Cowan was interviewed but was not endorsed.

Diane Gibson-Gray told me by phone that she was not interested in seeking our endorsement. (Phone calls were made to Democratic registered candidates who had not responded by email.)

Per our bylaws and the bylaws of the California Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County may endorse any candidate in non-partisan races who is registered as a Democrat as long as that candidate specifically indicates he or she is interested in our endorsement. (A non-response must be interpreted as the individual is not interested in our endorsement. Our Bylaws require that we send a letter to the campaign mailing address on file with the registrar’s office. In addition, emails were sent to the email address on file with the registrar’s office and phone calls were made to the campaign phone number on file with the registrar’s office. Messages were left when answering machines were reached, but because we had attempted to reach candidates in multiple ways, it was not required that we actually reach any person to receive a yes or no response if they were interested in endorsement. Due to the multiple methods to attempt to reach candidates, it was up to the candidate to reply to us.) In addition, we may only endorse a maximum of the number of seats available in a particular race. Only one of the three you mention indicated she was interested and sought our endorsement.

As for the city council race which you mention in your blog post but not in your email, Walter Ruehlig did not respond to our correspondence and Noel Pinto was interviewed but was not endorsed.

Race is absolutely not considered as a factor. It was actually a surprise to me when I read your blog post because when we interviewed the candidates, we interviewed them as people not as representatives of a particular race. The endorsement committee made our recommendations based on the individuals we felt best met the requirements for office, would best represent their constituents, and who represented Democratic ideals.”

I then responded with the following:

Mr. Koertzen,

Thank you for your quick and complete response.

However, regarding the Antioch School Board race, since one more Democratic candidate sought the endorsement, who appears to be very qualified from her experience as both a teacher and principal, why wasn’t Barbara Cowan endorsed, instead of leaving the one position without an endorsed candidate?

Allen Payton

Publisher”

Koertzen responded:

“Mr. Payton,

The endorsement committee did indeed find her to be qualified as a teacher and administrator, and, as I recall, she is a warm and engaging person, but some committee members had some reservations and concerns based on responses to questions posed during the interview. As a result, she did not meet the threshold required for the committee to recommend endorsement. Although we may endorse up to the number of available seats, we are not required to endorse that number of candidates.

To be fair to Ms. Cowan, I would need to discuss that information with her. It would not be appropriate for me to discuss the details of our endorsement deliberations with the press, especially if I have not yet had that conversation with Ms. Cowan.

Thank you,

Jeff Koertzen”

So there you have it. The Democrats claim race wasn’t used in their endorsements, but when they had the opportunity to endorse a very qualified, white Democratic candidate for the third seat on the Antioch School Board, they chose not to. So it’s up to you to decide what to believe and determine what impact, if any, it will have in the election results.

I emailed each of the three candidates mentioned to ask if they had requested the endorsement of the CCDCC, but none of them responded before publishing this commentary. If and when they do, I will provide an update.

Now, let’s get something, straight. I’m being accused of injecting race into the elections in Antioch. Let’s be clear. I was not the one who put out the emails about the issue. I received them and spoke with a few of the white Democratic candidates for office in Antioch about the issue and shared that information in my commentary. They chose to share it with me on condition of anonymity. If people are upset, so be it. No issue is too sensitive to discuss it if it’s of concern to candidates running for office or the voters. But don’t shoot the messenger or even try to read into anything I wrote. You need to take it on its face value. Debate and discuss the issue don’t attack the one who brought it out of the shadows. If those candidates who have the concern wish to remain anonymous, that’s their choice. But it would be good if they would step forward and share their concerns, publicly and challenge their own party.

This is America where we have freedom of speech. Don’t be afraid to speak up and speak out when you feel an injustice has occurred – no matter who it might be against.

Dear Editor:

I am writing in regards to the Antioch Unified School District elections that will take place in just a matter of days. My mother Debra Vinson is indeed running for school board and I would like to state a few reasons as to why I believe she is the best candidate for the job. It would be too simple to state that I am voting for my mother simply because she is my mom or that I want people to vote on that basis alone. It would also be an immense understatement of her abilities if I left it at that.

Ms. Vinson has the kind of drive and enthusiasm that the AUSD needs, especially at a time like this. As a former student of Antioch High School, I believe that I am proof that students that come from that high school can succeed. My mother always pushed me to do the best that I could do as well as supported me in all of my endeavors. I graduated AHS as a Music Master, an athlete and an honors student who recieved mutliple college acceptance letters. I now attend the University of California, Santa Barbara and am studying abroad. I credit my drive to succeed in everything I do and try new things to my mother’s support and care. She knows what it takes to motivate students, motivate teachers and motivate parents to fight for their students in order to make sure that every child recieves the best education they can and takes full advantage of all opportunities possible. Every student from the AUSD can attend a 4-year university or trade school, they just need the right tools to do so and it is my firm belief that my mother can provide those tools.

My mother knows how the AUSD operates and as a psychotherapist, violence prevention trainer and school counselor I do not doubt for a second that she can implement strategies to turn the AUSD around. Whenever I talk to my fellow graduates from the class of 2010 I always hear about the school system and all of the elementary, middle and high schools getting worse. I want to be proud of the school I graduated from and I want the district to have a better reputation so that students have a better opportunity to get into university, as well as achieve higher test scores. So often it feels as if the district does not care about the students minus a select few; and having seen the nepotism and favoritism that is shown to some of the “star” students, I believe my mother will be able to change that. Therefore, it is for those reasons that I advise the voters of Antioch to vote Debra Vinson for School Board Member. A vote that will truly make a difference. Thank you and happy voting.

Morgan Vinson

University of California, Santa Barbara

Programming Vice President, RHA

Chief of Staff, Office of the President, Associated Students

Scholarship Chair, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi

Dear Editor:

There is one plan Retired Environmental Manager and mayor candidate Don Freitas did have for Antioch: a plan to raise our property taxes.

You may have recalled back in April of this year receiving a mail in ballot for a Contra Costa Initiative which would have raised $8.7 million by increasing our property taxes. Before he retired this year, Don Frietas was the manager of that program and directed the taxpayer funded campaign for its passage.

The initiative was resoundingly defeated by homeowners. But not without controversy. Critics everywhere blasted Don Freitas’s spending of $1.45 million in taxpayer funds for promotion and propaganda in favor of the initiative to raise our property taxes.

Here are a few excerpts from newspaper articles talking about Don Freitas’s failed plan to tax homeowners:

“It is impossible to discern from the $1 million taxpayer-funded study and propaganda effort, produced by an unaccountable group of government bureaucrats (Don Freitas, Project Manager) and their consultants, whether the ballot measure deserves support.”

Dan Borenstein, Contra Costa Times Columnist, April 1, 2012

“The entire process cost approximately $1.43 million, the largest portion of which was $444,092.40 spent on campaigning, labeled as educational outreach by county staff (Don Freitas, Project Manager), as well as $346,800 on printing and mailing the ballots. Almost $435,000 was spent on analysis, research, the Engineer’s Report and action plan prior to the election.”

Allen Payton, Publisher, Antioch Herald, October 2012

“So they’re (Don Freitas, Project Manager) spending $1.55 million on their tax-funded campaign, including amounts explicitly intended to support and promote the new tax scheme – an illegal misuse of public funds.”

Richard Soderholm, Contra Costa Times, March 29, 2012

Citizens for Democracy

Ralph A. Hernandez, Chairperson

Antioch

The Way I See It

By Lou Davis

Many Americans may consider the election being held this year as the most important in our lifetime.

This is especially true now, with general elections being held which will determine many aspects of our futures. Nothing is more important when we vote than considering two of our country’s founding principles, both contained in our US Constitution: Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion.

Most seriously threatened of these Constitutional freedoms is the one regarding religion, threatened in the so-called affordable health care law, known as Obamacare. Christian religions, in an issue most identified by the Catholic Church, refuse to pay for health care which includes abortion and its related services. This question would force Christians to violate one of its chief religious principles, one that the Obama Administration completely overlooked.

Although President Obama says that Obamacare would not demand abortion services be paid for by the church, the law would still move forward with other aspects of the bill which would threaten Catholic hospitals, and other medical institutions. Also, just consider these facts:

It is still not clear who is to benefit when the much-needed health care reform is finally in place. There may not be a death panel set up -yet- but seniors and people with pre-existing health conditions are still not out of the woods, and are not being guaranteed anything by either political party.

Billions of dollars have already been spent or set aside for Obamacare, and the law is not even fully implemented yet. And despite more “hope and change,” the economy continues to worsen in several other areas:

The price of gasoline appears to be around the $4 and $5 mark for good, unless the country is allowed to explore its own resources, which would cut down on the Americans who are killed fighting over Middle Eastern oil.

Unemployment seems to be stuck above the 7% mark for good. And, no matter how many terrorist actions we witness, the Obama Administration seems to be afraid to call it terrorism.

Perhaps, we are not an official Christian country, but why is it that too many of us, who are so-called leaders in this country, especially the left-wing media report violations of other faiths, but when crosses are burned or other Christian relics are desecrated, the same people say nothing.

National Defense, Social Security, Immigration are still big issues still to be settled.

And, do we have something brewing in Benghazi, Libya that could make the Nixon Watergate cover-up scandal look like a children’s tea party? There is still much to come on this issue. Look for names in the future to help settle this question like; President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and UN Ambassador Susan Rice.

One thing is for sure: 2013 will be a very interesting year!

Dear Editor:

Dear Editor,

No matter who I or anyone else votes for at the local, state and federal levels, as well as the various measures up for consideration, my biggest concern for the city of Antioch, CA, is the incredible amount of signs all over every piece of fencing that I can see. In fact, some fences are not visible except for the signs! It’s hard enough dealing with all the general trash and mess that blows around, these signs are horribly annoying, and, quite distracting, sometimes obscuring a safe view of an intersection or street corner.

I urge the candidates, winner or loser, to respect our/their city and have a team of volunteers to remove every one of your signs. In accordance with city code, you’ve got 14 days after the event that the sign is for – so, on or before November 20th, you need to have all of your signs removed.

To be sure candidates are fully aware, there IS a city code that governs where signs can be placed, and, how long after the event they can remain. Based on my reading of the code, there are tons of places around Antioch that the signs are in direct violation of the code.

If candidates want to make an impression on me, then they would firstly ensure that every one of their signs is placed in accordance with the city code, and, that they have them removed on or before November 20th.

For everyone’s reference, the specific city code is contained in Chapter 5, article 5 of the city code;

§ 9-5.518  TEMPORARY SIGNS.

      (A)     Temporary sign defined.  TEMPORARY SIGN shall mean any sign, handbill, or poster which is placed to advertise or announce a specific event, or which pertains to a particular event or occurrence, or which is not designed or intended to be placed permanently.  Examples of temporary signs include, but are not limited to, signs, handbills, or posters relating to garage sales, political candidates or ballot measures, concerts, “swap meets,” and the like.

Lastly, for all residents of Antioch, the city code can be found at http://goo.gl/9nsGn, and it is fully searchable too!

James Marchetti, Antioch