By Candice Martin, DCRR Racing Media
Antioch, CA…July 22…Jacob Tuttle of Oakley won the 25 lap Wingless Spec Sprint Main Event Saturday night at Antioch Speedway. This was his third win of the season aboard the Ted Finkenbinder owned entry as he tuned up for next week’s Hunt Series race. Finkenbinder Racing teammate Blake Bower of Brentwood, a multi-time WMR Midget champion, finished second.
A heat race win put Tuttle on the outside front row for the feature race. After a tangle in Turn 2, Tuttle led the restart ahead of Bob Newberry of Brentwood. Gilroy’s Jarrett Soares settled into third on the second lap. An inside pass on the back stretch of the third lap gained Soares second from Newberry. A yellow flag waved on Lap 5 for Antioch’s Shawn Arriaga in Turn 2. Soares got a good run on the restart lap and passed Tuttle on the inside down the back straightaway to claim the lead. A thrilling, side by side battle developed between Soares on the inside and Tuttle on the extreme outside.
A high pass in Turn 2 of the 10th lap put Tuttle back into the lead. DJ Johnson of Stockton was running third at that point. They ran that way until a yellow flag flew for a spin in Turn 4 on Lap 18. Tuttle continued to lead Soares and Johnson on the restart, but Bower began working the outside and got around Johnson on Lap 20. Bower then took his momentum and made an outside pass on the back stretch on Lap 23 for second. However, Tuttle prevailed ahead of Bower, Soares, Johnson and Newberry.
Andrew Pearce of Oakley picked up his first career 20 lap Xtreme Late Model victory aboard the Paul Guglielmoni owned car. Buddy Kniss of Oakley crossed the line in first, only to be disqualified in post-race tech for rear deck height.
Buddy’s father Chester Kniss of Antioch had drawn the pole in the pill draw before the Main Event, but he elected to go to the back, giving Buddy the pole position. The younger Kniss streaked into the lead ahead of Shawn DeForest of Livermore. However, Pearce slipped past DeForest on the back stretch on Lap 3 in a bit of close racing that saw DeForest get into the back wall. Anthony Slaney of Martinez settled into third. Kniiss set a rapid pace and put a little bit of distance between himself and Pearce by the time the checkered flag waved. The disqualification put Pearce in the winner’s position, followed by Slaney, reiging series champion Dan Brown Jr of Lincoln, Soares Memorial winner Matt Michelli of Live Oak and Chester Kniss of Antioch.
Hardtop point leader Joel Hannagan of San Jose picked up his fourth-straight 15 lap Main Event win aboard the Doug Braudrick owned Junkyard Dog. Bob Slaney of Martinez jumped into the lead at the start, followed by Ronnie Ruiz of West Sacramento. Merced Sportsman point leader Rick Elliott took second on Lap 2 and made an outside pass on the back stretch of the fourth lap to take the lead from Slaney. An outside pass at the line moved Hannagan into second, and he quickly got around Elliott a lap later for the lead.
Brad Coello of Oakley was running third at that point, but he spun from that position for a yellow flag on Lap 7. Hannigan continued to lead the restart as Mike Gillard of Atwater made a low pass in Turn 4 to take second from Elliott. Elliott got back around Gillard in the same turn a lap later. The battle was between Ruiz and Coello for the fourth position over the remaining laps, but Hannagan won by a straightaway ahead of Elliott. Gillard settled for third, and Ruiz beat Coelho back to the line to finish fourth.
Devan Kammermann of Dublin maintained his championship hopes with his second-straight Delta Dwarf Car feature triumph. He charged into the lead at the start ahead of Gage Meyers of Placerville. A low pass in Turn 2 of the third lap put Meyers into the lead, and Kammermann got into the wall in Turn 4 for a yellow flag. His car was stuck on the wall, but he had no front end damage and would restart at the back of the pack.
Meyers continued to lead Antioch’s Chance Russell on the restart, but Russell went low in Turn 4 of the fifth lap to take the lead. Kammermann appeared in third on the seventh lap and was able to get around Meyers for second on Lap 13 before a yellow flag waved. Russell led Kammermann on the restart, but Kammermann went low in Turn 1 on the 15th lap to take the lead. Kammermann went from there to victory as Russell settled for second ahead of Myers, 2020 champion Travis Day of Concord and Joe LeDuc of Tracy.
Mike Learn of Petaluma won the 20 lap Super Stock Main Event. The past Tri State champion had the pole after his heat race win and led from the start ahead of Joey Ridgeway of Brentwood. Ridgeway surrendered second to Ryan Cherezian of Knightsen on the fourth lap. As Learn pulled away, Cherezian had a battle with Ridgeway and Jim Freethy of Danville for second for the next several laps. However, nobody was going to challenge Learn as he prevailed ahead of Cherezian. Freethy made a Turn 2 pass on the final lap to claim third as Ridgeway settled for fourth ahead of Chad Hammer of Antioch.
Racing continues next Saturday night with the return of the Hunt Wingless Spec Sprint Series. The loaded program will also feature a Figure 8, IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars, Pacific Coast General Engineering Hobby Stocks, WMR Midget and Print Club Mini Stocks. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com.
Antioch Speedway Race Results for July 22, 2023
Wingless Spec Sprints
FT Jarrett Soares 14.266. Heat Winners (8 laps)-DJ Johnson, Jacob Tuttle. Main Event (25 laps)-Jacob Tuttle, Blake Bower, Jarrett Soares, DJ Johnson, Bob Newberry, Heath Holdsclaw, Jeff Scotto, James East, Cameron Martin, Shawn Arriaga.
Extreme Late Models
FT Anthony Slaney 15.408. Heat Winners (8 laps)-Anthony Slaney, Buddy Kniss. Main Event (20 laps)-Andrew Pearce, Anthony Slaney, Dan Brown Jr, Matt Michelli, Chester Kniss, Rod Oliver, Shawn DeForest, Wayne Trimble, Josh Combs, Ray Trimble.
Hardtops
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Joel Hannagan. Main Event (15 laps)-Joel Hannigan, Rick Elliott, Mike Gillard, Ronnie Ruiz, Brad Coelho, Don Slaney, Dave Reed, Joe Shenefield, Ken Clifford DNS.
Delta Dwarf Cars
Heat Winner (8 laps)-Gage Meyers. Main Event (20 laps)-Devan Kammermann, Chance Russell, Gage Meyers, Travis Day, Joe LeDuc, Tyler Applebaum, Chris Durbin, Sean Catucci DQ.
Super Stocks
FT Mike Learn 17.227. Heat Winner (8 laps)-Mike Learn. Main Event (20 laps)-Mike Learn, Ryan Cherezian, Jim Freethy, Joey Ridgeway, Chad Hammer.
Read MoreBy Main Street Arts
We are excited to offer a BIG 20% off sale in August, to all our customers at Main Street Arts. It’s our way of saying thank you for all the support you have given us the past year.
The gallery will be jammed with art for you to select from. It will be a treasure hunting experience! So, wear your comfortable shoes and get ready to spend some time with us.
Visit www.mainstreetarts.net and see the BIG Sale page for more artwork that will be 20% off during our annual August sale.
The Main Street Arts Gallery is located at 613 Main Street in Martinez. For more information call (925) 269-8049.
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Thomas Duane Brumleve
December 2, 1930 – June 28, 2023
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Thomas Duane Brumleve, age 92, after a brave battle with cancer. He was born in Mattoon, Illinois, on December 2, 1930, to Sylvester and Rachel Brumleve.
Tom got his early education in Mattoon and then graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He served in the United States Marine Corps. He spent his career as an Electrical and Solar Engineer at Sandia National Laboratories from 1958 to 1984. He married Joan Marilyn Kerley on November 9, 1963. They enjoyed 38 years together, until she passed away on April 6, 2001.
Tom enjoyed his work at Sandia where his focus was solar energy. He was proud to have received an award from the U.S. Department of Energy, a national award for Technical Excellence in Solar Thermal Technology in 1982. In 1984, Tom retired early from Sandia and became the full-time Manager of Diablo Ranch, a cattle ranch on the slopes of Mt. Diablo.
Tom was very active in the community. He was President of the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, the Contra Costa Farm Bureau, and the Contra Costa/Alameda County Cattlemen’s Association. Tom was Chairman of the Range and Public Lands Committee, and Chairman of the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts. He was a member of the Range and Public Lands Committee, the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts, the Contra Costa Agriculture Task Force, the Natural Resources Committee, and the California Farm Bureau Federation. He served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Contra Costa Farm Bureau, for the Contra Costa/Alameda County Cattlemen’s Association, for the Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, for the Contra Costa Citizens Land Alliance, and for the California Native Grass Association. His leadership left a mark and made a difference in not only Contra Costa, and Alameda counties, but also at the State level.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman, adventurer, and educator. He enjoyed scuba diving and being an instructor for the Livermore Skin Diving Club. He was a founding-member of the Vaqueros of the Sea. He enjoyed cross-country skiing, canoeing, back-packing, traveling, and putting in a hard-day’s work. He climbed Mt. Shasta, hunted grizzly bears in Alaska, and canoed the Rogue River. He thought he was the first person to ever go down Glen Canyon in an open canoe just prior to its closing for the dam.
He was especially interested in range-management techniques, proper grading, and maintenance of back-country roads. Tom was actively involved in preserving agriculture and our Western Heritage, looked to improve urban understanding of agriculture, and other ag/urban interface issues.
He was active in the Fire Safe Council and the Mt. Diablo Bee Keepers Association. He was a well-respected cattle rancher in Contra Costa County. His presence in our lives will be greatly missed.
Tom was preceded in death by his wife Joan, siblings Leila and Rita, and his grandchildren Brandon and Tyler Brumleve. He is survived by his sister Sylvia and brother Ken; children, Julia “Jill” Kilcourse, Kimmie Brumleve and Dan Brumleve, son-in-law Christopher Kilcourse; and grandchildren, Will and John (Jack) Kilcourse, and Coledan and Jessiana Brumleve, as well as nieces and nephews, and treasured friends. A heartfelt thank you to Shirley Olsen for loving Tom and taking such good care of him for the last 22 years. He will truly be missed.
A mass was held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Walnut Creek, on Friday, July 21st. A Celebration of Life was held on Saturday, July 22nd at Diablo Ranch. He will be laid to rest at the Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Lafayette. In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations be sent to the California Cattlemen’s Association and/or the Contra Costa Farm Bureau in his name.
Read MoreWALNUT CREEK, Calif.— California State Parks announced on May 17, 2023 the temporary closure of North Gate Road at Mount Diablo State Park to pedestrians, vehicles, equestrians and bicyclists. The road will be closed May 19 through mid-September to stabilize and rebuild a section damaged by the 2023 winter storms. (Apologies to our readers. The Herald publisher just learned of this, yesterday).
Visitors will be able to access the summit and developed areas of the park from the South Gate Entrance (2675 Mt. Diablo Scenic Boulevard in Blackhawk, 94506) on the Danville side of the mountain. Whether driving or riding your bike, please ensure you are travelling at a safe speed for you, wildlife, and fellow visitors.
For updates on the progress of the project, visit Mount Diablo’s Facebook page at Facebook.com/MountDiabloStatePark.
About Mount Diablo State Park
Located in the San Francisco Bay Area to the east of Walnut Creek, people have been drawn for generations to Mount Diablo for its spectacular views from the summit which extend over 100 miles in all directions on a clear day. Visitors have been attracted by the complex geology that has created amazing rock formations such as the “wind caves” at Rock City, and by the mountain’s variety of habitats which are home to over 600 species of plants and an amazing array of wildlife such as butterflies, bats and birds of prey, tarantulas, bobcats, lizards, snakes, and deer.
In 2021 Mount Diablo celebrated its 100th year as a state park. Though more than 100-years is a long history as a park, the importance of Mount Diablo was recognized long before that. For thousands of years Native Americans were the caretakers of this land. Many groups considered and treated the mountain as a sacred place and continue to do so today.
Since becoming a park in 1921, Mount Diablo has been protected as a natural area, and over the past 100 years the park has grown from only a few hundred acres to over 20,000 acres. Today it is a destination for those who would like to view wildlife and wildflowers, experience beautiful views, hike, camp, picnic, run, cycle, climb, ride horses, or gaze at the stars.
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By Allen D. Payton
07/22/23 UPDATE #2: According to Jimmy Lee, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Director of Public Affairs, “On Friday, July 21, 2023, at about 1:51 PM, deputy sheriffs from the Marine Patrol Unit were dispatched to assist the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and the United States Coast Guard with searching for a missing boater who was apparently trying to push his 20-foot vessel to shore near the Fulton Shipyard on the San Joaquin River. The U.S. Coast Guard and Sheriff’s Office drone team were also involved in the search. The missing boater, who is not being identified at this time, was not located. The Marine Patrol Unit will continue the search today.”
07/22/23 UPDATE #1: According to Coast Guard Public Affairs Specialist Schnabel, “We suspended the search after searching until around 7:30 pm. One man had fallen overboard from a recreational boat and the other man jumped in after him attempting to get him out of the water leaving the vessel unmanned. Neither had life jackets. One man was recovered by a Good Samaritan and taken to a local boat ramp.”
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A helicopter could be seen flying over the river and Waldie Plaza along the Antioch waterfront Friday afternoon. According to Con Fire PIO Steve Hill, “We responded in the noon hour to reports of a 55-year-old man in the water. In spite of searches by us, Sheriff’s Office Marine program and the Coast Guard we were unable to locate him. We are clearing at this hour, the Coast Guard remains on scene.”
As of 4:25 PM Coast Guard 11th District Public Affairs Specialist Hunter Schnabel said, “the search is ongoing for a male. We received a report from another male who was swimming with him after he got back to shore and called in a panic.”
“We have Station Rio Vista and Air San Francisco’s MH65 Dolphins (helicopters) in the search,” he added.
Please check back later for any updates to this report.
Read MoreProjected to start in January 2024
By Timothy Leong, Director of Communications and Community Relations
At their July 12, 2023, Governing Board (Board) meeting, the Board announced their decision to move forward with the recruitment of a permanent Chancellor, and provided staff with direction to proceed with the recruitment process. The Board is committed to conducting an equitable, inclusive, and transparent search that is consistent with Board policies and district procedures, and that will attract outstanding candidates for this opportunity.
The Board’s goal is to complete the search process and announce the new Chancellor by December 2023, with a start date of January 2024.
“We look forward to the recruitment of our permanent Chancellor,” said Board President Fernando Sandoval. “I join my fellow trustees in welcoming our students, constituency groups, and community’s involvement on choosing the District’s next leader who is equipped to carry on our legacy of affordable and high quality higher education.”
The last chancellor, Dr. Bryan Reece, held the position for just 14 months. He was hired by the board in October 2020, started his tenure in November 2020, placed on paid leave in September 2021 and resigned in February 2022.
Executive Vice Chancellor of Education and Technology Mojdeh Mehdizadeh has been serving as acting chancellor.
Progress reports and updates will be posted on the District website at www.4cd.edu.
For more details about this search, contact Dr. Micaela Ochoa at mochoa@4cd.edu.
About 4CD
The Contra Costa Community College District (4CD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The 4CD serves 1.2 million residents, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. 4CD is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College with campuses in Pleasant Hill and San Ramon, and Los Medanos College with campuses in Pittsburg and Brentwood. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez. Each college is individually accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. For more information visit http://www.4cd.edu.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
Read MoreBy The Streets of Brentwood
Perfect for boaters
The Pittsburg Seafood & Music Festival is excited to announce a novel, immersive experience for this year’s attendees: the Marina Experience Package. The event will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10.
In homage to our city’s maritime roots and our commitment to innovating the festival experience, we’re introducing the Marina Experience Package – a unique, enhanced experience for our sea-loving festival-goers.
The package includes a designated docking space at the local marina, a convenient shuttle service to and from the festival grounds, a custom festival burgee, and a curated welcome package filled with festival goodies.
“Our goal is to offer festival-goers a truly immersive and memorable experience. With the Marina Experience Package, attendees can not only savor the seafood and music but also revel in our beautiful marina which is such a crucial part of our city,” says Wolfgang Croskey, Pittsburg Chamber of Commerce CEO.
This initiative underscores our commitment to creating unique, diverse, and inclusive experiences for all attendees. The Pittsburg Seafood & Music Festival continues to innovate and evolve, establishing itself as a must-visit event in the Bay Area’s festival scene.
For more information about the Marina Package and to purchase tickets, visit www.pittsburgseafoodandmusicfestival.com. About the Pittsburg Seafood & Music Festival
The Pittsburg Seafood & Music Festival is an annual event held in Pittsburg, CA, celebrating the city’s maritime history, local seafood, and diverse musical acts. The festival aims to foster community spirit, promote local businesses, and provide a platform for local artists and musicians.
Read MoreParade, live music and dancing, boat show, pie eating contest, 5K and rubber duckie races, dog show, Kids Zone, food trucks, vendor booths and more!
Bethel Island presents their 2nd Annual Boats & Berries Music Festival this weekend, Saturday and Sunday July 22nd and 23rd.
The days starts off with opening ceremonies with our Military Color Guard and National Anthem sung by Zena Jean. Bethel Island will have a huge downtown parade that is filled with our locals’ decorated golf carts, our military, horses, dogs, Brentwood FFA, dancers, musicians and more!
OTHER FEATURED EVENTS THROUGHT THE WEEKEND
-Live Music with Mama Faxxy and The Gypsy Rebels, Freeway Rock Band and Zena Jean performs with the band Weekend at Jimmy’s! ♥️
INSIDE SCOUT HALL – Michael acoustic shows!
-Boat Show! -Catfish Races are back! -Manpowered Boat Race – Rusty Porthole -Berry Pie Eating Contest! -Rubber Duckie Races! -Karaoke -Line Dancing
– Fun and Educational Kids Zone! -Dog Show! -Local Businesses and Vendor Booths! -Adult Refreshments/Goodies Garden! -Food Trucks too!
SUNDAY – Bethel Breakfast after our 5K Race and Boat Race leaving from The Rusty Porthole!
$600 plus Sponsors:
Rusty Porthole, Delta Coves, Reliable Automotive & Diesel Repair, Plumbtree Plumbing & Rooter, Boyd Real Estate, Scheer Security Alarm Systems, Inc.
Other Sponsors
The San Joaquin Yacht Club, Rusty Porthole, Delta Coves, Knightsen Saloon, Bethel Harbor,, Bethel Market, Black Bear Diner, French Flea #7, Will and Kathy Burns CA Mechanical, Reliable Automotive & Diesel Repair, Boyd Real Estate, Vintage Soul Boutique, Hurst Solar Panel Cleaning, Delta Sports Bar & Gateway Market, Plumbtree Plumbing and Rooter, Scheer Security Alarm Systems, Inc, Lindsay Decker Realtor with RE/Max Gold, Friendly Fire Systems, Inc, Island Cuts, Timothy McDonald, Bob Gerber, Scott and Kim, Linda Nash, Anthony Banks, Straightline Painting, Good Scents Florist, Ted and Geri Alesna, Shannon & Kevin, Lori Castillo, Dorreen Oxford, Hal Hutchens, Ed Horn, Mark and Sue Stas.
For more information visit the event’s Facebook page.
Read More“…with a heavy heart” his last day will be August 11th; while 35 officers on paid leave due to two investigations
By Allen D. Payton
With rumors beginning to circulate in the community Antioch Police Chief Steve Ford announced his retirement on Wednesday afternoon, July 19, 2023. His last day will be August 11th.
After less than nine months in his permanent position as the leader of the department, Ford wrote to his staff, “Dear members of the Antioch Police Department,
It is with a heavy heart that I forward this email to inform that I will be retiring as of August 11th. My time here has been both a tremendous opportunity and quite challenging. What is most meaningful to me are the relationships I have forged. I’m grateful for the way you embraced me and the changes we made.
I firmly believe with your help and determination this organization is poised to move forward in a very meaningful way and evolve where anyone would want to work.
It’s been my privilege to have worked with all of you.
Sincerely,
Steve”
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Although he had just started his tenure as interim police chief following a grand oath of office ceremony on April 27, 2022, Ford is named in a federal lawsuit regarding the Antioch officers’ racist text scandal which covered a time period ending that month. He is also scheduled to testify at a hearing this Friday, July 21, in a murder case involving four defendants whose attorneys claim officers violated their civil rights.
In addition, during their meeting on April 11, 2023, the council majority moved forward with an effort to directly hire the police chief instead of leaving it up to the city manager, as is done with all other department heads.
It will leave the City with an acting city manager, no assistant city manager, an acting public works director, currently no acting community development director as of Monday afternoon due to the departure of Forrest Ebbs last Friday, and no assistant city attorney. Unless the city council takes action to change who appoints the police chief, Acting City Manager Kwame Reed will be tasked with appointing an acting or interim chief. Captain Tony Morefield filled the position after former Chief Tammany Brooks left for a new job in Boise, Idaho in October 2021, until Ford came on board.
UPDATE 1: When reached for comment District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica said, “this took us all by surprise. I learned of it this evening. I’ve worked with the chief closely during the time he has been here. Now, that he has made his decision, what we need to do is regroup and talk about who to appoint as acting or interim chief. Kwame is going to need the support of the city council. We cannot be without a chief.”
UPDATE 2: Chief Ford Issues Statement to Community
The following press release was issued Wednesday night:
July 19, 2023 – Antioch, California
The Antioch Police Department announces the retirement of Chief Steven A. Ford effective August 11, 2023. The following is a statement from Chief Ford to the Antioch Community.
To the Antioch Community,
I am writing to inform you of my decision to retire from the Antioch Police Department as of August 11, 2023. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have served as your Chief. I have worked with some very talented and passionate people – it has been a great privilege to learn and grow from them.
I am proud of what we have accomplished and firmly believe the groundwork has been laid for organizational success. I know our work to align us with the tenants of Procedural Justice and Constitutional Policing will keep this Department headed in the right direction. I sincerely hope our engagement with the Community will continue and flourish.
I attribute our numerous accomplishments to support from the City Council, the tremendous Citizens of Antioch, and the talented members of this Police Department, who continue to embrace organizational changes with enthusiasm and dedication. Because of this, the Antioch Police Department has become more inclusive, equitable, and a better place to work.
Sincerely,
Steven A. Ford
Chief of Police
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Efforts to reach Ford for further comment and the other four council members for their responses were unsuccessful prior to publication Wednesday evening. Please check back later for any updates to this report.
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