Move over, Conan; look out, Jimmy Fallon and Craig Ferguson, there’s another late-night entertainment show available on cable TV in Antioch: “The Late, Late, Late Show with Jim, Mary, Martha, Brian and Reggie,” also known as the Antioch City Council. The council’s June 9 meeting lasted six hours, not ending until 1:03 a.m., an hour reminiscent of the late-night brouhahas that used to ensue during the council’s more combative years in the ’90s. Fortunately, the length of the meeting was due to a full agenda rather than verbal brickbats and chairs thrown.

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From Kermit and Hanna Sveen: “We returned recently from a trip to Europe, but misplaced our copy of the Brentwood Press somewhere along the way. Otherwise, we would have included ourselves, above, with the Press, in the attached picture exclaiming, ‘Selberpflucken’ (which means ‘U-Pick’). This is in an area in northern Germany, Schleswig Holstein, much like Brentwood (except for the weather), noted for its agriculture (and Holstein cattle).” We’re thinking there might be some cross-breeding going on between the cattle and the fruit: that’s one big berry. Anyway, thanks for the picture, and per your suggestion, we will indeed be careful with the pronunciation.

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California’s $24 billion budget crisis might be commanding most of the attention in Sacramento these days, but at least one top official can still find time for the little folk. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi slipped out of the capital and into Oakley last week to help break ground on some rec facilities at Big Break. One wonders if the fact that he’s running for Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher’s seat in the 10th Congressional District, which includes Oakley, had anything to do with the flexibility of his schedule.

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Critter alert in Discovery Bay: In recent months a group – or is it a gaggle? – of gophers have been spotted making a mess of the greenery along Discovery Bay Boulevard and Highway 4. In response, officials are in the process of trying a new non-lethal liquid product that can be infused directly into the landscaping water system. The taste is apparently so unappealing to the four-legged nuisances that after ingesting the drink, they simply turn tail and leave town for greener pastures. Hmmm … wonder if the critter cocktail works on animals of the two-legged variety as well?

–Compiled by Press staff