The National Republican Congressional Committee today named Ricky Gill a “Contender” candidate, the third of four stages in its selective “Young Guns” election program. Gill is one of only 11 candidates nationwide who has achieved “Contender” status.

Advancing to “Contender” status required Gill to meet a rigorous set of fundraising and organizational benchmarks that demonstrate he is “on the road to victory,” according to the NRCC. To date, Gill has raised more than $1 million and has earned endorsements from leading national figures including South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and former San Joaquin Valley Congressman Norman D. Shumway.

“Ricky Gill continues to prove himself by meeting these latest benchmarks in the ‘Young Guns’ program,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX). “Ricky’s dedication and experience enables him to advocate effectively for pro-growth policies and fight the failed Democrat status quo in Washington. This will stand in stark contrast to the Democrats’ record of spending, borrowing and taxing that California families and small businesses know has failed.”

Gill is challenging Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton), a three-term incumbent who lives in the Bay Area, well outside the Valley and Delta communities of the 9th Congressional District.

Ricky Gill is a native of San Joaquin County, born and raised in Lodi, California. The son of immigrant parents, Ricky is a small business owner, a family farmer, and a former member of the California State Board of Education whose story speaks to the power of the American dream. Ricky grew up helping manage his family’s vineyard operation and serving the community as chair of the Greater Lodi Area Youth Commission. He has played an integral role in his family’s small business, which employs 60 people in the San Joaquin Valley, for several years. In 2004, he was appointed by the Governor to the California State Board of Education, where he served as the sole representative of more than six million public school students. He subsequently served as an adviser to the California Secretary of Education. Ricky now serves as a member of the Lodi Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Princeton University, he will soon complete his Juris Doctor at the University of California, Berkeley.
www.RickyGill.com

District Attorney Mark Peterson will be the guest speaker at Supervisor Federal Glover’s breakfast on Feb. 10. One of the topics he will speak about is his program to fight habitual truancy among school-age children.

Peterson has made fighting truancy one of his cornerstones of his office since he was elected district attorney. Last month, the DA’s Office filed charges against a pair of Rodeo parents because their children missed too many classes. It is the first time in county history that parents are facing charges for their children’s truancy.

“Our goal is to get these kids back in school and get parents to take responsibility for making that happen,” said Peterson.

Since he took office, Peterson has been laying down the groundwork for this program by working with local school districts and law enforcement agencies. He formally unveiled the truancy program in early 2011 to a meeting of the East County Gang Task Force formed by Glover.

The breakfast will be held at the Martinez Event Center, 536 Main St., Martinez and will
start at 7:30 a.m.

“The Breakfast Club was formed as another way of communicating with constituents,” said Glover. “It also serves as a fundraiser for office holder (non-campaign) expenses so that my staff and I can continue our outreach efforts, cover costs for attending informational seminars and workshops, and pay for other office-related expenses not routinely covered by the general fund.”

The breakfasts feature speakers who are usually local, state or federal officials as well as experts in particular fields. The popular events are held quarterly. Individuals who wish to be members and received advance details about upcoming events can pay for the entire year. Nonmembers can also attend and pay $50 per breakfast or $25 if you are a senior citizen or a student.

For more information about the Breakfast Club, call 925-202-5001. Checks can be made payable to Federal D. Glover Officeholder Account ID# 12-44440.

EAST CONTRA COSTA REPUBLICAN WOMEN FEDERATED WILL MEET ON THURSDAY, FEBUARY 9, 2012, 11:30 A.M. AT VIC STEWART’S, 2270 BALFOUR ROAD, BRENTWOOD. Speaker: Brad Dacus, President, Pacific Justice Institute. GUESTS WELCOME. COST $20. FOR RESERVATIONS AND MENU: (925) 634-5404.

State Senator Mark DeSaulnier is hosting a Town Hall Meeting on “State Government and Budget Reform” on Thursday, November 17th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Brentwood Senior Activity Center, 193 Griffith Lane in Brentwood.

Faith and community leaders from ten congregations to present vision and proposals to address foreclosure prevention, health care access, immigrant integration, quality education, and jobs.

On Monday, November 7th at 7:00 pm, hundreds of East County residents will be gathering at St. Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church, 3351 Contra Loma Blvd., Antioch to call on public and elected officials to stand with them and work together to address the pressing issues most affecting East County.

Clergy and community leaders will be presenting their vision and agenda to bring equity and justice around a critical set of issues that impact the future of the region. This action is the result of relational meetings with many of the families in over ten congregations and dozens of research meetings to develop these proposals for change.

CCISCO leaders will be sharing their research and proposals around the following key issues:

* Keeping families in their homes and holding banks accountable for blighted properties;

* Expanding pathways to jobs for local residents and developing local hiring policies;

* Strengthening linked learning pathways at public schools;

* Trust, relationship, and cooperation building between recent immigrants & long term residents;

* Expanding access to health care for all residents in the region.

Afterwards, public and elected officials will be asked to respond to the proposals and commit to working together to address these vital issues.

Confirmed Guests: Office of Rep. John Garamendi; Senator Mark Desaulnier; Office of Assembly Woman Susan Bonilla; Office of Assembly Woman Joan Buchanan; Supervisor Federal Glover; AUSD Superintendent Donald Gill; AUSD Board Members Walter Ruehlig and Gary Hack; LUHSD Superintendent Eric Volta; LUHSD Board Members Ray Valverde and Holly Hartman; Oakley City Mayor Jim Frazier; La Clinica de La Raza Regional Director Viola Lujan; BART Board Director Joel Keller.

Participating Institutions: St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, St. Anthony Catholic Church, Antioch Christian Center, Community Presbyterian Church, Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church, St. John Lutheran Church, Antioch Church Family, Islamic Center of the East Bay, and International Christian Ministry.

CCISCO
202 G St., Suite 1 – Mailing: P. O. Box 883
Antioch, CA 94509
P: (925) 779-9302
F: (925) 779-9303
www.ccisco.org

Contra Costa County District III Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho Invites you to a Town Hall meeting for Antioch, Bethel Island and Oakley communities on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, Prewett Park Community Center, 4701 Lone Tree Way, Antioch.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors recently adjusted the Supervisorial District boundaries in compliance with the 2010 Census, and Antioch, Bethel Island and Oakley Communities are now in District III.

County Staff from the HWY 4 Bypass Authority, Veteran’s Services, Probation, Housing Authority, East County Transit Authority, Public Works, Sheriff’s Office, and Planning & Building Departments will be present at this meeting to provide information and to answer questions.

If you have questions please contact Jennifer Quallick, Field Representative at 925.820.8683 or at Jennifer.Quallick@BOS.CCCounty.us.

Congressman Jerry McNerney speaks to East County residents at his town hall meeting in August.

By Allen Payton, Publisher

NOTE: This article appeared in the print edition of the Antioch Herald in September but was not posted to our website, until now. We apologize for the oversight.

East County residents let their concerns be known to Congressman Jerry McNerney (D – Livermore) at a little publicized town hall meeting in Brentwood, recently.

McNerney, who will soon be moving into and running to represent the new 9th congressional district, in which most of Antioch is now located, was grilled by those in attendance on issues including taxes, the national budget deficit, the Debt Ceiling and No Child Left Behind education policy.

He held his “Congress on Your Corner” in the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce board room which can only accommodate about 20 people at a time, so he had to have two sessions, to include those waiting in the reception area during the first session.

“Radical elements of the Republican Party have taken over the House,” McNerney said. Then stated “I’m not trying to be overly partisan.”

He advocated for another stimulus as a way to create more jobs.

“I think a stimulus would be a good idea, but it’s not going to happen in this Congress,” he stated. “Wall Street is important, but it’s more important to see jobs in Brentwood.”

When challenged by a resident, who identified himself as a Democrat, about his vote against the Debt Ceiling increase, McNerney responded “Making those cuts are going to throw a lot of people out on the street.” He then stated “It needs to include revenue and cuts.”

The resident shot back, speaking of President Obama’s first two years in office, “The House and Senate and Obama were all controlled by the Democrats and you didn’t raise taxes on the rich, then.”

“The economy was fragile so I didn’t think we should raise taxes,” McNerney responded, to which someone asked “and it’s not fragile, now?” He then said “They’ve slashed spending so people are out of work.”

The reality is the spending cuts approved in the recent Debt Ceiling agreement haven’t yet gone into effect and most of them won’t until 2017.

One resident made commented “Our infrastructure is falling apart. That’s one way to put people back to work, like the WPA (Works Progress Administration) of the 1930’s”

The Congressman responded “I supported the Stimulus. It put $200 billion into infrastructure. It also gave a $250 billion in tax refund – people didn’t notice it.”

“The House is proposing $200 billion for the next five years. That’s way underfunded,” he added. “I’m going to advocate for more.”

When asked about spending cuts he responded, “One of the waste in government is how campaigns are funded. That’s the first place we should start. It encourages members of Congress to spend money we don’t need.”

He was then asked about protecting MediCal by a resident who was identified as a John Muir Medical Center employee.

“MediCal isn’t being accepted by doctors. Will the federal government bridge the gap?”

McNerney responded “That’s a tough question. Medicare will be okay and we’ll be able to lower the cost. I really believe that.”

“I don’t have an easy answer,” he added.

When asked how he would cut $4 trillion from the budget as the ratings agencies are requiring, he offered incentives for small business, reducing inefficienes in healthcare and government, and said he voted for across the board cuts in the Departments of Health and Human Services and Transportation.

The Board of Directors of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) invites you to attend a public meeting to provide input and comments regarding the redistricting of the BART Election District on Wednesday, October 5th from noon – 1:30 pm in the Pittsburg Senior Center, 300 Presidio Lane.

Following each federal census, the BART Board of Directors is required to adjust the boundaries of the election districts so the districts shall be as equal in population as practicable. Attend a public meeting to view maps of the current election districts, learn where population changes have occurred, and let BART know what you think!

For questions you may contact the Board of Directors by email at boardofdirectors@bart.gov or by phone at 510.464.6095. Translation services available if requested 3 days (72 hours) before the meeting by calling BART Language Assistance Services at 510-464-6752.