CHILDREN FROM PRESCHOOL AGE TO SIXTH GRADE may enter the “Color the Easter Picture” contest, using illustrations that have been published in The Herald’s March issues.

The winning pictures will be published April 5. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place in four categories: preschool, kindergarten through first grade, second and third grades, and fourth through sixth grades.

Huckleberry’s Brick Space, Jamba Juice and Round Table have provided the prizes in the contest which is sponsored by Gavin & Schreiner Insurance, Mickee’s Pet Grooming, Alonzo and Small Insurance, George Dudikoff Farmers Insurance, Noah’s Ark Preschool, Featherer Pet, Happy Hearts Preschool, MC2 Golf Pro Inc., Floors on First, Benicia Floor Company, Affordable Quality Cabinets and Best Western Plus Heritage Inn.

The Herald’s office is at 820 First St., and those interested may call 707-745-0733.

Rellik expands lunch menu, taking reservations for ‘Wine Maker Dinner’

The Rellik Tavern, 726 First St., has added a new lunch menu and will be host of a “Wine Maker Dinner” on April 19.

The lunch menu, served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, has a selection of paninis: veggie, pesto, meatball, bacon-lettuce-tomato and buffalo chicken. They are sold a la carte or in combination with fries and soft drink.

Also added to the lunch menu are herb chicken and pesto flatbread, veggie and teriyaki bowls and crab cake, available with soup and salad.

Another addition is the “Famous Rellik Original,” a meal in a glass, such as fried chicken slider, fried pickle, Raven’s Claw, bacon and an assortment of vegetables along with a house-made Bloody Mary.

The Wine Maker Dinner, at 6 p.m. April 19, will have a five-course dinner and wine pairing for $75. Reservations are available by calling 707-746-1137. The website is therelliktavern.com.

Valero makes Forbes ‘500 Best Employers’ list

Valero, which operates Valero Benicia Refinery, has been named to Forbes Magazine’s inaugural roster of the 500 best employers, Bill Day, Valero vice president of communications, said.

Forbes surveyed 20,000 workers of every type of company and asked them to rank their employer, Day said. Then the magazine asked them to name five more companies they believe are good places to work.

Day said Valero was one of only a few energy companies on the list, published in the March 30 edition as well as at http://www.forbes.com/best-employers.

“This honor comes about a month after Valero was named to Fortune magazine’s list of the world’s most-admired companies,” Day said.

“Valero ranked fourth in the Petroleum Refining category, moving up one spot from last year’s list. Valero was third in the category among U.S.-based companies and the top independent refiner on the list,” he said.

That list is available at http://fortune.com/worlds-most-admired-companies/.

In addition, tournament play has ended at the Valero Texas Open, the PGA Tour event that raises millions of dollars each year for children’s charities.

“Our goal this year is to raise enough funds to surpass the $100 million total since Valero became the event’s title sponsor back in 2002,” Day said last week. “The funds raised are distributed to children’s charities in all of the areas where Valero has major operations, including your areas.”

Last October, Valero Benicia’s share of the tournament money was $345,000, which was distributed to 20 area children’s charity organizations.

TableRunner now in San Francisco Bay Area

TableRunner, a meal delivery service, delivers seasonal, chef-made meals by subscription to residents and companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and east to Reno, Nev., Rebecca Haynes, media relations coordinator for Vantage PR.

The company uses United Parcel Service to deliver the meals so people can have meals nightly “in the comfort of their own homes,” she said. The chefs who have assembled the meals have experience at five-star hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants, she added.

Subscribers order meals a week in advance and may choose four, six or eight meals a week, in subscriptions of $60, $75 and $99 respectively, including delivery.

“Inspired by seasonal ingredients from local farms and designed for people with busy lives, TableRunner meals are planned, prepped and cooked so subscribers can enjoy dinner with minimal effort,” Haynes said.

“Like most people, I know first-hand how difficult it is to find enough time and energy at the end of a long work day to make sure your family eats well,” said Ryan Tu, the company’s founder and chief executive officer. “I was running a growing company in the natural food industry at the time, when I was inspired to find a solution that combined my passion for healthy food options and convenient delivery.

“That is how TableRunner was born.”

Tu added, “It takes time to prep and cook quality, healthy food at home, but that shouldn’t prevent people from enjoying their meals. TableRunner’s goal is to make it easy for families and working people to eat high-quality food at home.”

Those interested may visit the website www.TableRunner.com. The company also is on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

The Benicia Herald’s weekly Benicia Business Beat column is an opportunity for local businesses and companies to tell our readers about business-oriented news, such as moves, grand openings, awards, promotion of employees, staff changes and changes in goods and services.

Submissions will be edited for length and content; and need to answer the questions who, what, when, where, why and how, preferably in the body of an email; and provide contact information.

Deadline is 3 p.m. Friday for news items that will appear in the next Tuesday edition’s Benicia Business Beat. Please email news releases and accompanying high-resolution photographs and logos to beniciaherald@gmail.com, and put “Attn. Business Beat” in the subject line, as well as the name of the business.

The Benicia Herald also appreciates area companies’ advertising patronage. For advertising services, call 707-745-0733 or email adsbenicia@yahoo.com.