Brentwood Press - Index

Brentwood Press - AntiochPress_05.09.08 - Index

MAY 9, 2008 THEPRESS.NET | 19A
Letters from page 18A
Feb. 26, 2008, Erik Nunn was visibly
absent. Now, Erik Nunn wants you to
believe that he played an instrumental
role in defeating the prison proposal.
Nothing could be further from the
truth.
As noted in previous letters to the
editor, during a town hall meeting on
Saturday, March 15, 2008, featuring
Erik Nunn and Gary Agopian, Mr.
Nunn informed the audience that he
had recently changed his political party
affi liation from Republican to Democrat
to satisfy members of his church
congregation who had been pressuring
him to leave the Republican Party.
When challenged about this
decision, Nunn immediately began
to stumble over his words and denied
he made the statement. Erik Nunn’s
willingness to lie without hesitation or
remorse regarding a matter as simple
as changing political parties should
concern us all.
Here are a few questions to think
about: Why are the vast majority of
Erik Nunn’s campaign signs located
on Seeno property? Erik Nunn states
that he has been attentive to and cares
about the issues that concern Antioch
residents. If this is true, where was Erik
Nunn when United Citizens for Better
Neighborhoods and other members
of our community were taking a stand
against the problems associated with
the Section 8 program? Erik Nunn was
nowhere to be found and he has never,
ever contacted our group to offer his
support.
Over the past two years the Antioch
City Council has held six Quality
of Life Forums to address crime and
blight in our city. How many forums
has Erik Nunn attended? Zero. As a
former reserve police offi cer for the
Antioch Police Department, Erik
Nunn states he is a strong supporter
of law enforcement. If this is true,
where was Erik Nunn when our police
department was being falsely accused
of racial discrimination by Bay Area
Legal Aid and Public Advocates, and
why hasn’t Nunn come forward in
defense of Police Chief Jim Hyde and
the CAT Team ?
The time has come to move forward
in a new direction. We need Gary
Agopian to represent us as our next
District 5 supervisor.
Gary Gilbert
Antioch
Agopian doesn’t measure up
Editor:
I received my sample ballot and
did not see what candidate Agopian
does for a living. I have seen blogs
stating he is a Realtor and Section 8
landlord, but he is leaving those details
out of his statement.
Why would you be ashamed of
being a Realtor? It is no wonder why
he would leave out the fact that he is a
Section 8 landlord in Antioch. He tries
to personify being against public funds
waste, but he is already feeding at the
public trough in regards to his rentals.
I am sorry to disagree with some
of the letters to the editor that make
Agopian seem honest and full of
integrity. I personally don’t buy it. He
seems shady and hypocritical. We don’t
need an out-of-work Realtor to save us.
I believe Agopian is the least qualifi
ed candidate by far, and we need to
make sure we don’t waste a vote on his
illusiveness and insincerity.
One last note … Why haven’t our
local newspapers asked about Section
8 rentals? Section 8 fraud and abuse is
the hottest topic in East County.
Please! Vote for anybody but
Agopian.
Denise Panteles
Antioch
Piepho – promises kept
Editor:
It is with much pleasure and enthusiasm
that I undertake the writing
of a letter of endorsement for County
Supervisor Mary Nejedly Piepho.
Supervisor Piepho represents a new
breed of community leader: one that
sincerely cares about each constituent
and her promises to them.
In the four years that Supervisor
Piepho has served District 3, she
has remained true to her promises of
holding government accountable to
taxpayers, reducing traffi c congestion
and improving public safety. Much
ground has been covered thanks to her
hard work and perseverance at improving
the quality of life for all of us.
I am indeed fortunate to have
worked on several projects with her.
Throughout our interactions she was
never anything less than respectful,
professional and completely devoted to
fi nding the best solutions for everyone
involved.
In a time when money is thrown at
politicians for special favors, Supervisor
Piepho demonstrates strength in
character and leadership by refusing
to take money from developers, home
builders, labor, refi neries or Indian
gaming tribes.
Although Supervisor Piepho clearly
deserves our vote, I believe the far
more important issue is that we deserve
her as our supervisor. It is through her
expertise, experience and fortitude that
a better life will be made for all. Please
join me in voting for Mary Nejedly
Piepho as county supervisor.
Greg Ruiz
Brentwood
Agopian really cares about us
Editor:
We now have a choice of multiple
candidates for the District 5 supervisor’s
election. Let’s look at our choices:
We have a career politician who is
sponsored by big industry; whose legacy
at the supervisor’s board consisted of
a dysfunctional Housing Authority of
the famed Section 8 meltdown and the
now-unforgettable 500-bed-prison-nextdoor-to-a-high-school
snafu.
Next we have a person whose
sponsors are the real estate developers.
His legacy consisted of the oversimplistic
idea of widening Highway
4 by restriping lanes from the 12 feet
standard to 8 feet. Which engineering
school he attended is a mystery. We do
not hear from this gentleman except
once every four years when it is election
time.
Next, we have a former mayor
whose legacy is the rampant, illplanned
housing development which is
the root cause of so many of our social
ailments we see today.
Last Saturday, we participated in
a program organized by the Antioch
Police Department to help alleviate
blight by cleaning up a designated
neighborhood. Of the fi ve supervisor
candidates, only Mr. Gary Agopian
and his wife showed up to help. It is
a clear case of fi nding out who really
cares about us. Mr. Agopian took time
out to help with a civic event that he
believes in; he demonstrated true concern
for our community.
Mr. Agopian serves on our school
board, where he demonstrated his
leadership and management skills by
putting in programs that fought back
many of the negatives at our schools.
He has been in attendance at all our
Quality of Life forums. He is not a
career politician, not sponsored by big
industry or developers. Mr. Agopian
is the candidate for all us common
citizens who want a fair representation
of our concerns at the Board of
Supervisors.
I am voting for Gary Agopian and
I hope you will, too.
Hans Ho
Antioch
Rip roarin’ Rally
Editor:
The 24th annual Discovery Bay
Lions Rally-Round the Lake was once
again a wild success. I believe that it
was offi cially the most beautiful day
of the year. As always, it was a mix of
fi rst-time participants and the regular
crew that always comes out to run.
We had several repeat winners.
Discovery Bay Elementary once again
won for the most school participation.
The school spirit is evident at the event
and the Lions are very grateful for
their participation.
The Family/Group winner was
once again the Scruggs family. They
continue to show that family spirit
and even took home some individual
awards as well. The overall winners
were Noah Peña in the men’s category
and Cynthia Aguilera in the women’s
category. This year was the year of the
see Letters page 24A