By Allen Payton

Friends and customers of Jeremy “Lumpy” Sturgill, owner of Lumpy’s Diner in Antioch and Pittsburg, and Lumpy’s Express in Brentwood, mourned his passing, via social media, on Tuesday morning just after 8:00 a.m.

Flowers were placed at the door of the Antioch location, and a sign on the window there stated “Lumpy’s Diner will be closed until further notice.” However, both the Brentwood and Pittsburg locations were open on Tuesday.

The business’ website provides information about Sturgill and his business:

“Lumpy’s Diner was built in 2008 by Jeremy (Lumpy) Sturgill. He grew up in the restaurant industry. His parents created Digger’s Diner in Concord, CA. Lumpy started running that diner at the age of 14. After dedicating his life to the business, it was time for him to strike out on his own path. With the first Lumpy’s Diner being built in 2008, two more locations followed shortly after.

The Pittsburg Lumpy’s became the second location and after noticing a huge demand for the quality of food and service Lumpy expects, the idea to streamline the process and create a faster, over the counter version of Lumpy’s Diner was born. That extension of this brand is Lumpy’s Diner Express. The first LDX, as we like to refer to it, was opened in 2012 in Brentwood, Ca.

So much has changed for Lumpy since beginning his exciting adventure… he met a woman who truly is his companion, she helps him in every way. That woman is Marci and the two got married in 2011. As life tends to be, the two quickly had their first child and welcomed Jaxx into the family, November of 2012. This family has worked together, hand and hand, to make Lumpy’s Diner and Lumpy’s Diner Express the best locally owned restaurant in the East Bay.

Recently the Lumpy’s Diner crew’s operations have expanded to include a catering business known as Elle Dee’s. The team caters everything from car show to weddings (check out our catering page). As we continue to grow one thing remains true… without all the strong support we get from our customers, we wouldn’t be where we are today. With 5 successful years behind us we thrive to continue as a community based establishment and offer a fun and exciting environment for you and your family to enjoy. Make sure to visit us at one of our annual events (fundraisers, car shows, burger contest and toy drive) or during the week for a laid back dining experience. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you!

World Famous Since 2008!”

Lumpy’s was known for their burgers, as well as their car, truck and bike shows and burger eating contests. Sturgill was known for his generosity, having his business sponsor Christmas toy drives with former 49er Jeremy Newberry.

On his Facebook page, Newberry wrote “R.I.P. Lump. You will be missed by many.”

Others posted photos they had taken with Sturgill, including one with East Bay Regional Parks Director Diane Burgis and her family.

Maria Lazzerini, the night manager at the Deer Valley Safeway in Antioch, wrote “R.I.P Lumpy! You will be missed! The community has lost of of the most caring and giving guys!! Way too young! Prayers to his family.”

Referring to a fundraiser held at Lumpy’s, for her daughter who had a brain tumor, Lazzerini added, “So young and so caring. He…was always so giving with the communities fundraiser, including Alison’s.”

“RIP Lumpy Sturgill,” wrote Doug Knowles who posted additional photos and a TV commercial for Lumpy’s on his Facebook Page. “You and Your Family are in our Thoughts and Prayers.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up by LaTasha Renée, entitled The Sturgill Family Fund.  By 5:00 p.m., on Tuesday, the goal of $10,000 had been surpassed by $1,570. Following is the message on that page:

“Last night our Fit Family member and friend, Marci Sturgill and their 2 boys, suffered a devastating loss and the earth lost an angel. Lumpy, beloved husband, son, father and owner of Lumpy’s Diner passed away.

Lumpy was known and valued for all he gave to others and for the friend and business owner he was in our community. He loved his family and his infectious smile, his passion for his customers and for his business will be missed

Please consider making a donation to help The Sturgill Family. They need the community that Lumpy so willing loved on to give back in an effort to help ease the financial pain that this devastating loss can cause a family that is self employed. All funds donated will go directly to the Sturgill Family.
Thank you in advance for your donation and it comes with much love and many prayers to you and your boys Marci! Xo”

Please check back for details on his official obituary and possible memorial service.

By Teresa Klein

Birthdays are a time to celebrate. While everyone has one each year, there are a few that are considered “milestones.” A child’s first birthday is, of course, something to celebrate. Hitting double digits at age 10, and then the parent-dreaded teens at 13. Teenagers get excited when they become “adults” at age 18 and in college their 21st birthday is often a blow-out celebration. As we age, though, adults seem to space their big celebrations further apart, often in 10-year increments–30, 40, the big 5-0! What about the BIG 1-0-0? Not many have the chance to hit this centurian milestone. Yet, here in Antioch there are a few.

One such woman – Crenna Boyd – not only celebrated 100, but has surpassed that by five years, once again celebrating each year as a milestone.

Born March 6, 1910, Crenna is a witty, spry 105 year old who is in really good health and still washes the dishes and takes care of herself. While her middle child, daughter Margaret Dossey now lives with her, Crenna takes each day as it comes and enjoys a life filled with family.  She lives in the house her late husband Roy built in 1962 on Texas street, back when their neighborhood was an almond orchard and highway 4 was a small-town road.

Born in Oklahoma to farmers, she was the oldest of six. Her family moved often between Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Antioch. When she was 19, she married Roy (d. 1991) and they had three children, Margaret, her older sister Dolores Sugarman, and her younger brother Don. Crenna also has 12 grandchildren, 19 great, great grandchildren and 25 great, great, great grandchildren.

Living in Antioch when the city was smaller and slower paced, Crenna started working at the steel mill turning tin during World War II and continued until she retired in 1963. After retirement, Crenna decided she wanted to have some fun. Hse decided to travel the world and try things she never had until that point. Cruises with family, Jamaica with her granddaughters, the Cayman Islands, and England a few times were just some of her outings.

But her most adventurous – and some would say dangerous – trip was from 10,000 feet when she went skydiving. Talk about celebrating a milestone birthday in a big way! When Crenna turned 95 – yes only 10 years ago – she got the OK from her doctor, went out to Byron and met her skydiving instructor.

“It had been something she had been talking about for awhile,” said Margaret. “When she was talking with her granddaughter, she said ‘If I don’t like the guy [that I will jump with], I’m not going.’”  

But Crenna liked what she saw (she said he “looked good”) and he was very nice and helpful, so the jump was a go. When asked if she had been afraid to jump, she said “Heck no! He wanted to get down to the ground safely as much as I did, so I knew I could trust him.”

With her family looking on, turning 95 became a birthday she’d never forget.

That was the only time Crenna jumped – once was enough, she said – and her adventures slowed down after that, but she still likes to travel – mostly to her summer home in Sequim, Washington. Margaret and Crenna head north to get out of the Antioch heat, and Crenna says it is her favorite place. “You can look up at the tall trees forever.”

Situated not far from Port Angeles, her Sequim home is isolated among the forest at the base of the Olympic Mountains and by the Dungeness River. Crenna enjoys spending the day sitting outside listening to the flowing water and the singing birds, and watching the scampering black squirrels.

Margaret says they usually spend June-September in Washington, but last summer extended all the way until February, 2015. “She likes it so much she didn’t want to leave,” said Margaret.

They did return to Antioch in time to celebrate her 105th birthday in March with 43 people and a white cake.

“Chocolate cake is too rich,” says Crenna, but adds still loves chocolate. At 105, her doctor says she can eat whatever she wants.

When Crenna turned 100, the family asked that no one bring gifts but instead bring 100 of something for fun. She received 100 pennies, 100 marbles, and even 100 packets of Taco Bell hot sauce. At that party Crenna told everyone “I’ll see you in five years,” and she did.

Now, after her big, big, big milestone of 105, she said “I’ll see you next year.” Smiling, she admits that one–year increments are long enough. As she reads her birthday poster she laughs because it says “Born 1910: many, many, many, many, many years ago! 105 and counting!”

By Allen Payton

Antioch resident and college junior, Jason Agopian, plays on the men’s volleyball team as a middle blocker at U.C. Irvine. He was recently chosen First Team All MPSF (Mountain Pacific Sports Federation).

The federation is made up of 10 sports, 93 teams at 38 institutions in nine states.

Besides UC Irvine, men’s volleyball includes teams from Brigham Young, Cal Baptist, Cal State Northridge, Hawaii, Long Beach State, Pepperdine, Stanford, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and USC.

Agopian’s older brother, Corey posted a comment on his Facebook page about the accomplishment.

“No big deal or anything. Just like the best middle in the nation and stuff,” he wrote.

The youngest child of the late Antioch Councilman Gary Agopian, and Robin Agopian, Jason is a 2011 graduate of Deer Valley High School where he also played volleyball, and football, as well. He is studying psychology and social behavior.

For more about Jason and his performance at U.C. Irvine, click here.

By Allen Payton

Steven S. Kavanaugh has been promoted to the rank of master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

Kavanaugh is currently serving as a ramp superintendent with the 82^nd Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif. He has served in the military for a total of 22 years, serving 18 years with the California Army National Guard, and reenlisting with the Air Force Reserve after a ten year break in service.

A former Antioch resident, Kavanaugh currently resides with his wife, Julie in Brentwood. They have three adult children. He is a member of the Ex-Schooner’s Patrons Network, which meets at various East County restaurants on Thursday nights.

He is a 1983 graduate of Northgate High School, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Main information provided by the Joint Hometown News Service of the Defense Media Activity.

By Allen Payton

“Amen” the new single by Antioch singer Toree McGee, was released on Tuesday, March 31 on iTunes, Google play, Amazon, and Spotify.

KRTY San Jose, 95.3 FM, has been playing it for the past several weeks or so and appeared at #1 on their “Hot 9 at 9” chart, four nights in a row.

The song is receiving positive reviews from listeners on iTunes.

“Amazing! This song is so much fun! Makes me want to dance and sing along! It has a great beat and the vocals are AMAZING! Can’t wait for the whole album to come out!” wrote one commenter.

“Great song and a wonderful voice,” stated another.

The 2004 Deer Valley High grad was trained for 10 years by local voice teacher, Nuhad Levasseur.

“I always knew Toree had the potential to be a huge country star, one day,” Levasseur said. “I’m so very proud of her and excited that her journey has started.”

Toree recently spent some time in Nashville, which helped advance her musical career.

“I’m waiting to hear back from Sony on the date for the full EP release date,” Toree stated.

To hear more of her country rock songs, visit her page on Reverb Nation at www.reverbnation.com/toreemcgee. To learn more about Toree, visit www.toreemcgee.com.

By Allen Payton

Watching with anticipation at the Antioch home of Ashley Morgan’s parents, Keith and Patti, they, plus a group of family friends, as well as her brother Stephen and his wife Becky, cheered when she came on first, on Tuesday night’s showing of The Voice musical competition television show.

Before the show began, Patti distributed poppers and small toot horns for everyone to use when and if at least one of the four judges turned their chair around, signaling Ashley’s advancement to the next round.

With raised hands, and squeals of excitement, Keith and Patti, expressed their excitement, even though it was the second time they watched. They both traveled to Southern California and were in attendance during Ashley’s performance before the judges.

Following her performance of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” made famous by the late Whitney Houston, both country music star Blake Shelton and singer, songwriter Pharrell Williams turned their chairs around, indicating they wanted her on their teams.

Ashley received positive comments from the judges.

“You were hitting some notes, let me tell you,” said pop star Christina Aguilera. “That was no joke, Ashley.”

“When she goes back to the theme park she’ll be the headliner,” Shelton stated.

“There’s nobody like you in this competition,” he said, hoping to coax her onto his team. “This is your chance to become Ashley the artist in front of millions of people, by the way. I have not been this excited about an artist on this stage in a long time. I love you.”

“You cannot buy that type of training,” Williams said. “What kind of music do you want to make?” Ashley responded “I’m still figuring out who I am as an artist. But, I do want to make music that has an impact and makes a difference in the world.”

Then she chose Williams as her coach for the competition.

“She’s an all American. She can win,” Shelton added, as Ashley left the stage, even though he couldn’t convince her to choose him for her coach.

Her dad and mom were at the taping of tonight’s episode, and appeared on TV a few times, showing them watching her from their viewing room.

“It was incredible. I am ecstatic, happy, pleased, proud but not surprised,” her father, Keith said, after watching, tonight. “It was just as thrilling as the first time, even though I knew what was going to happen.”

Her mom was more focused on the future.

“I’m excited for her, for the adventure and the journey she’s been given right, now,” Patti said. “We’ll see where it takes her in the next round, which is the Battle Rounds.”

Ashley’s voice teacher Nuhad Levasseur, who taught her for 12 years.

“I think she was absolutely incredible, tonight,” she said. “I felt so proud to have been her voice teacher all those years. We still talk and are still really close.”

“She always had amazing work ethic in her singing and was always very focused on wanting to make it in the industry,” Levasseur shared. “She’s definitely on her way. She has the talent to be a big star one day.”

Ashley’s older brother Stephen said “She knocked it out of the park. She killed it! Great song choice. It fit her voice very well.”

“I’m very proud of her,” he added.

Her oldest brother David wasn’t at the party, but watched from home with his family and had a teasing, tongue-in-cheek comment on Facebook, just like big brothers do.

“All of Facebook is talking about this Ashley chick,” he wrote. “She’s pretty good, I guess! Proud to know her.”

The next round of the competition on The Voice will be shown next Monday and Tuesday nights on NBC at 8:00 p.m.

To watch her performance on Tuesday night’s show, it’s available on YouTube, by clicking here.

Ashley is a 2006 graduate of Antioch High School and a 2010 graduate of Azusa Pacific University in Music Business. She now lives in Costa Mesa, California.

To learn more about Ashley, read an earlier Herald article here or visit The Voice’s website at www.nbc.com/the-voice/artists/season-8/ashley-morgan.

By Allen Payton

Ashley Morgan, from Antioch, the youngest member of a musical family, auditioned for the TV show The Voice, earlier this month.

She wasn’t on either of this week’s shows on Monday or Tuesday. So, we’ll have to watch, again next Monday and Tuesday night, to see if she makes it and how she does.

Ashley’s mother Patti and father Keith sing in the choir and he plays the bass guitar as part of the worship team at Golden Hills Community Church, where her brother David is the music minister. Her brother, Stephen is also a music minister, at Concord Bible Church.

She’s already experienced some success in her blossoming musical career. According to her Facebook fan page, the 27-year-old, 2006 graduate of Antioch High School has provided background vocals for many recording projects and live performances including, The Voice, American Idol, The X-Factor, America’s Got Talent, The Grammys, the AMA’s, Duets, Dancing With The Stars, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks, Seal, Jackie Evancho, Janelle Monae, and Austin Mahone when he opened for Taylor Swift. She is also a session singer, worship leader, vocal arranger, performer as Alice in the Mad Hatter Band for Mad T Party and Cici for Freeze The Night, singing “Let It Go” at Disney California Adventure.

Ashley has also been a featured soloist at many churches and events around the world and is currently a freelance vocalist in the Orange County/Los Angeles area.

A 2010 graduate of Azusa Pacific University in Music Business, she was a student of local vocal teacher Nuhad Levasseur, owner of In The Light Voice Studio in Brentwood and is a singer with the band Faultlines, self-described as a Los Angeles folk outfit, which she and friends started, last summer.

You can follow her career by liking her fan page on Facebook. To see a sampling of her singing, visit www.youtube.com/user/ashleymorgan72. Follow Faultlines on Facebook at www.facebook.com/officialfaultlines and Twitter at https://twitter.com/faultlinesongs.

Good luck on The Voice, Ashley!

Walk down almost any street in Antioch, and it’s very likely that sooner or later you will walk by someone who is an Aiming High graduate. That’s an indication of just how many Antioch residents have benefited from the transformational work of a unique and highly effective Bay Area company called Aiming High Inc.

Aiming High offers an array of workshops, courses, seminars and one-to-one coaching packages for individuals, corporations and civic organizations that Antioch residents have been eager to take advantage of. Antioch’s LaSjeonia Hutchings, for example, said that by participating in Aiming High’s Game Changer workshop she was able to accomplish things that previously had seemed out of reach.

“Our curriculum encourages people to re-imagine their lives,” Sylvia High, the company’s founder and principal trainer said. “And as part of that, people can then choose a more fulfilling lifestyle suited to a world they themselves have designed.”

Mrs. High, who recently was a featured panelist on Oprah’s The Life You Want Tour, has more than 20 years experience in the training industry, and Aiming High has been recognized as a leader in high-impact adult and youth learning models.

The Game Changer takes place over the course of two evenings and two days. It is a lively mix of exercises, lectures and demonstrations designed to produce what Mrs. High calls “empowered thinking.” Local real estate broker, Tique Lee Caul, said that the Aiming High trainings helped her diversify her career path. She now does leadership development.

“We see ourselves as every client’s possibility partner,” Mrs. High said. “In other words, Aiming High’s expertise is in illuminating the greatest possibility in each client, and then coaching them toward excellence. This is the foundation of every lifestyle change or enhancement.”

She continued: “We ask big questions at Aiming High. And big questions deserve big answers. So our clients, using our breakthrough curriculum, respond by growing their ability to produce outstanding results… in their finances, careers, relationship… you name it.”

Mrs. High is the author of “The Little Book of Big Questions,” and she encourages her clients to use questions as a form of self-introspection. Bill Zupo, an Aiming High client and Antioch resident, said that the technique has proved effective for him in getting to the heart of what matters in goal setting.

In some ways, the Aiming High trainings may even seem a bit mysterious. But, in fact, it is all really simple and straightforward. The way that Mrs. High explains it, the Aiming High trainings allow people to see their “blind spots,” the areas of their lives where there are hidden impediments. Oprah refers to these as “ah-hah” moments. Mrs. High says that it is the “nature of discovery.”

The Game Changer workshop, according to Mr. Zupo, is an ‘exhilarating eye-opener.” He described the Aiming high trainings as energetic, upbeat settings filled with the unexpected, which often makes learning fun. “I loved the music,” he said. “It seems they always played the right song for just the right moment.”

Lynn Ferguson, another graduate and Antioch resident, put it this way: “Sylvia High is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. What sets her apart from others like her is that she presents possibilities in an actionable way. She doesn’t just offer a bunch of nice ideas. It’s always about taking the actions that will produce the desired results. She’s awesome.”

Aiming High Leadership Program graduates are responsible for initiating a number of community projects in the Bay Area, including a community garden and a teen education and empowerment program. For many Aiming High grads, the goal is to touch, move and inspire their family, friends, and neighbors toward leading the best lives possible as well.

“Some heroes are born, and some are made,” Mrs. High said. “But in one way or another we’re all heroes looking for an opportunity to be heroic. Aiming High invites people to be heroic about creating the life they want.”

What a great fit for Antioch.

For more information on Aiming High and The Game Changer workshop, contact Sylvia High at (510) 303-4032, via email at sylvia@aiminghighinc.com or visit their website at www.aiminghighinc.com.