Neighbor News
The Wade Harper Miracle: Antioch Crime Down, Quality of Life Up
The Doublespeak of Antioch politicians Harper, Cantando and Rocha
City Council, April 22, 2014
Only a year and a half into his term, Mayor Wade Harper announced he had fulfilled his promise to rid Antioch of crime, except for a few odds and ends. With beatific smile, the former pastor shrugged off the three homicides that rang in the new year, but shared the tender story of what he keeps in his wallet: photos of the slain, so he can remember to pray for them.
Accentuating the Positive
Murders aside, “there’s too much negativity and not enough positivity,” says councilwoman Rocha. Accordingly, the positive is what Wade is accentuating, with the help of Police Chief Cantando.
Crime Down
Crime is down the Chief tells us. Though rape may be up 200% in Antioch, it isn’t really, because it’s only up due to the new FBI definition of rape for reporting purposes, which now includes boys. Before 2012 boys couldn’t be raped in Antioch.
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The Appliance Guy at Lowe’s
Adding anecdotal evidence to the Chief’s statistics, Mayor Harper reports that when he was at Lowe’s, the appliance guy told him that things were getting better.
Focus on Speed Bumps
Continuing his message of hope Harper adds, “We’re not focusing on violent things any more. My emails are about speed-bumps. That tells me we just have little quality of life issues, and that’s good.”
Find out what's happening in Concordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Previously...
Quality of life issues have surfaced before. At a previous negative-tone meeting, one of the complainers carried on about a knife-fight he had just witnessed a couple blocks away. “That guy had a knife this long!” he said. “And he was wielding it like a ninja! Where were the cops?”
Complaining about her near miss with some muggers in the Save Mart parking lot, an octogenarian announced she would be taking her quality of life into her own hands by moving to Brentwood.
Then a Certain Neighborhood Group came with their perpetual complaint about being threatened by drug dealers at the Deer Valley Shopping Mall. Some people are never satisfied. You’d think they would get tired of complaining about drug dealers and fights outside their businesses, month after month. Certainly the Council was tired of hearing about it.
Euthanasia Down
“We all love our furry friends,” purred Mayor Harper when the Animal Shelter staff received the “Be Kind to Animals Week” Proclamation scroll.
Sad, frazzled Animal Services Supervisor Helgemo reported that euthanasia is down. A job like hers would sadden anyone who has half a heart. Her boss, cheerful Chief Cantando reported that between January and March, only 82 cats and 101 dogs were killed in the shelter he oversees. Kicking off “Be Kind To Animals Week” Cantando announced that he will begin enforcing the Cat Starvation Ordinance.
Say what? Didn’t Rocha make it clear at an earlier council meeting, in front of a crowd of rescue groups, that she was giving them - and the cats - a six-month grace period?
Clear as mud.
Misdirection, Doublespeak or Just Stupid?
This is actually what she said:
Rocha: “I want to include a six month temporary solution. I want to go ahead with the ban.”
Tiscareno: “Your motion is supporting the ban on feeding in public places, but you want a six month window to enforce the ban? Or put the ban together?”
Rocha: “To work.”
Harper: “She’s not proposing a six-month waiver of the ban.”
Rocha: “No.”
Duran: “To clarify, the motion is to pass the ordinance as written...”
Rocha: “Right, and I gave a six-month to come to some conclusion and we’re not dangling it out there, ‘Well I don’t want to do it today, I’ll do it tomorrow.”
Confuse yourself here:
