Antioch Press 07.20.18

Page 1

YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER

Vol. 18, No. 29

READ FAMILY-FRIENDLY NEWS AT WWW.THEPRESS.NET!

Suspect’s father shares his story by Tony Kukulich Staff Writer

Tracy Redmond couldn’t shake an uneasy feeling on the morning of July 3, and when text messages to his wife, Marta, and adult son, Matthew, went unanswered, his apprehension grew. The previous night had been a difficult one for the Redmond family. Matthew, 29, showed up on a neighbor’s property saying he was looking for someone. The neighbors were not close with the Redmonds, and they did not recognize Matthew as being from the neighborhood. No one knew the person for whom he was looking. Matthew was asked to leave and did so without incident. Around 9 p.m., he returned, and this time neighbors called the police. Just before 1 a.m., the

Photo courtesy of Tracy Redmond

Tracy and Marta Redmond, seen in an undated photo. Marta was found murdered in her home on July 3. Her son Matthew is in custody and has been charged in her murder. same neighbors observed Matthew standing at their front door, and the police were called a second time.

“It was just an odd string of events and certainly unsettling to have him at my door at 1 o’clock in the morning,” said neighbor

Rochelle Wagner. “When I told him through the window to leave, he did. And we followed the instructions we had been given (by the police).” Lt. Walter O’Grodnick of the Brentwood Police Department said officers investigated the disturbances involving Matthew and determined they did not rise to the level of a criminal complaint or arrest. During their first visit to the Redmond home that night, officers from the Brentwood Police Department told Matthew to stay away from the neighbors, and that appeared to be the end of the incident until several hours later when police returned to the Redmond home. “I thought that it was done,” said Tracy. “Then at 1:30 in the morning, the doorbell rings, and see Suspect page 22A

Flor Do Oakley celebrates Holy Ghost Festa Flor Do Oakley held its annual Holy Ghost Festa and celebrated with a parade and feast. Seen from left to right are sidemaids Kaelyn Vail and Aurea Hernandez, small queen Estella Goulart, senior queen Cearra Janae Upton, and sidemaids Alyssa Michelle Collaco and Nicole Catarina Gomes.

by Aly Brown Staff Writer

Nestled in the heart of Oakley is a community organization steeped in a long legacy of Portuguese tradition. For the past 90 years, Flor Do Oakley, an nonprofit Portuguese organization, holds the Holy Ghost Festa, a celebration that highlights the Portuguese culture and heritage with a parade and feast. This year’s event was held on Sunday, July 15, and Cearra Janae Upton, an upcoming senior at Freedom High School and track athlete, served as the senior queen. “As queen for Flor Do Oakley hall, I’m committed to representing Oakley at other cities’ Holy Ghost Festas,” she said. “I am being given an opportunity to represent the tradition of honoring Queen Saint Isabel and her devotion to the Holy Spirit. She was a compassionate person who gave to the poor even with risks to herself.” The Festa is in commemoration of Queen Isabel and the story of a miracle. Queen Isabel was married off to King Denis of Portugal at the age of 12, in 1282, and

Photo by Steve’s Freelance Photography

was compassionate toward the poor. She was said to leave the palace with a cloak full of bread in order to bring food to the hungry against her husband’s wishes. When he caught her sneaking out one day, he demanded to know what she hid in her cloak. She told him she held roses. He didn’t believe her and ordered her to open the cloak. As legend has it, a miracle turned the bread

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into roses. The Holy Ghost Festa is held each year on the third Sunday in July. Queens and sidemaids, comprised of young Portuguese girls in the community, are an integral component of the celebration. As senior queen, Cearra chose the decorations and theme col-

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see Festa page 22A

West Nile Virus www.thepress.net/news/webextras

Mosquito & Vector Control reports West Nile virus found on Holland Tract.

July 20, 2018

Becoming Your Best Self

The Press’ special section is filled with tips for staying healthy, fit and looking your best. Page 1B

2018’s Artist Of The Year

Oakley artist Nancy Roberts receives Brentwood Art Society’s top honor. Page 11A

Major League Debut

Liberty High School graduate gets the call from the New York Mets. Page 15A Breaking News...................7A Calendar.............................23A Classifieds..........................20A Cop Logs.............................19A Entertainment..................11A Food.....................................10A Kid Scoop ............................9A Milestones.........................12A Pets........................................ 8A Sports..................................15A

Health Officer

www.thepress.net/news/press_releases

Dr. Christopher Farnitano is the new Contra Costa County health officer.


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