■ Group picks officers in inaugural confab By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor The newly formed Downtown Business Alliance, a group of business owners that will guide the Benicia Business Improvement District, had its first formal meeting Monday, and Mayor Elizabeth Patterson congratulated board members for what she called a landmark accomplishment. “It should be noted what […]
School board votes to give non-teaching staff 2.5% raise
By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Trustees for the Benicia Unified School District on Thursday voted 4-1 in favor of an agreement with the California School Employees Association, Chapter 1096, that would give non-teaching employees a 2.5-percent raise this year and next. “Negotiations with CSEA have lasted almost a year,” Assistant Superintendent Michael Gardner said. “The […]
New looks: Marshall Lockman, veteran photographer, take brush to canvas in featured Plein Air Gallery exhibit
By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor The paintings, acrylic and watercolor, are from locations all over the Bay Area, sweeping vistas of hillsides, seashores and waterscapes. All, the artist says, are within 40 miles of Benicia. Marshall Lockman’s show at Benicia Plein Air Gallery, “New Looks at Local Scenes,” is a colorful and accessible tour of the […]
Preschool fair to launch Saturday
Mom’s group, school district host event for parents of very young kids By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Benicia Schools Superintendent Janice Adams will join a host of local parents Saturday for a first-of-its-kind preschool fair at Liberty High School. Benicia Moms Group, a group for women who have children younger than school age, has partnered […]
‘For me, the figure is the pinnacle’
❒ Exhibit by artist Jody Mattison features women ‘comfortable with who they are’ By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Artist Jody Mattison said her “main thing” is to paint women “in our skins, in a feeling of inner strength.” Sixteen of her new oil paintings, of women in different poses and environments — but all “comfortable […]
Needy animals find friends in 2 Benicia girls
By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Schoolmates and friends Nicole Ross, 10, and Teslay MacDonald, 11, love animals. The Joe Henderson Elementary School fifth graders both have dogs that have been adopted from shelters, and Teslay has a pet corn snake that Nicole helps feed and care for. The girls love animals so much, they wanted […]
BUSD, CSEA agree
District-union pact goes to trustees By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Assistant Superintendent Dr. Michael Gardner on Thursday will submit to the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees a tentative agreement between the district and a major union representing district classified, or non-teaching, staff. The agreement with California School Employees Association (CSEA), Chapter 1096, is […]
Raise the curtain: 15 acts, 50+ performers for 10th annual city talent show
By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Benicia’s talented citizens are preparing for their time to shine on stage this Saturday in the Soroptimist Club’s 10th annual “Benicia’s Got Talent” show. Susie Harper of Susie Harper’s School of Dance and Karen Hubbard of Featherer Pet will co-chair the show, which — along with a raffle and dessert sale […]
Awareness through her art
Children’s book author has strong ties to Benicia By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor Growing up Benicia gave artist, teacher and author Heidi Joulios many fond memories, and she credits her local upbringing with making her who she is today. Those local ties were key to her decision to celebrate the release of her second children’s […]
Historical impressions
Artist’s exhibit pays tribute to classics, frames and all By Keri Luiz Assistant Editor At first glance, the walls of the Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery in Benicia Public Library are a little overwhelming. Two hundred and fifty paintings, interpretations of classics spanning 700 years of art history, hang on the walls, Paris salon style, in […]