A survey ordered by Benicia city staff that studied whether voters would support a sales tax increase discovered that among professional news media, The Benicia Herald is residents’ top choice for information about their home town.

The Lew Edwards Group, working with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, polled 400 Benicia residents chosen at random from June 25 to July 2.

They found that The Herald is frequently used as a news source by 35 percent of those polled, while another 27 percent said they read the paper occasionally; that makes a total of 63 percent of those who count on the paper for community news.

Of those called, 18 percent said they rarely read the paper, and 19 percent said they never read The Herald.

“Those who read The Herald are Benicia’s most well-informed citizens,” Herald editor Marc Ethier said. “Now we see that the city does, in fact, have quite a few well-informed citizens.”

The survey found that the most popular source of local news is word of mouth, which 45 percent said they use frequently, 36 percent use occasionally and 10 percent each rarely or never use.

Other professional and casual news sources did not fare as well among city residents.

Behind The Herald came television news, which 32 percent said they watch frequently, 18 percent said they watch occasionally, 25 percent said they watch rarely and 25 percent said they never watch.

Radio news garnered a 20-percent frequent use rating, matched by a 20-percent occasional use rating. Another 18 percent said they rarely hear Benicia news on the radio, and 41 percent said they don’t depend on radio stations for Benicia information.

Community websites, blogs and email news groups are counted on frequently by 17 percent of Benicians; 24 percent said they use those sources occasionally, and 18 percent said they rarely browse them. Forty percent of those polled said they never use those sources for local news.

Seventeen percent of Benicians said they read The Herald’s closest newspaper competitor, the Vallejo Times-Herald, frequently for local news; 19 percent said they occasionally read the Vallejo paper for local information. Another 17 percent said they rarely turn to the Times-Herald for local news, and 46 percent said they never read that paper.

Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are frequently used by 11 percent of Benicians for local news, while 15 percent saying they occasionally check social media. However, 11 percent they rarely use those platforms for local news, and 63 percent said they never find local news information there.

The city’s own official website, www.ci.benicia.ca.us, is used frequently by only 6 percent of residents, the survey found, and occasionally by 35 percent; 24 percent said they rarely look at the site and 34 percent said they never view it.

CrossFit 707 chosen one of best by Shape magazine

CrossFit 707, started in 2010 when Spencer and Kara Purves and their friends would meet in Benicia parks to train and launched formally as a gym in June 2011, has been named by Shape magazine No. 12 of 18 great gyms nationwide.

“We are a local small business here in town, and we are very proud of this accomplishment, as our dream has always been to change the way our community views fitness and health!” Kara Purves said.

The company isn’t affiliated with Benicia CrossFit, with which there has been some name confusion since that gym opened recently, Purves said. CrossFit 707 is at 538 Stone Road, Suite B. Its website is crossfit707.com.

The Shape article, which can be read at www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/17-best-crossfit-boxes-us/slide/12, praised the Purveses for their emphasis on safety. “When it comes to Olympic lifts, you can never be too careful — especially with form, “ the article said. “That’s how co-owners Kara and Spencer Purves run their box.”

The article said CrossFit 707 has a welcoming environment for people from all walks of life.

Makerspace workshop Aug. 6

The next Benicia Makerspace Workshop will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6, at Benicia Public Library, 150 East L St.

Members will describe projects on which they have been working, among which are the Acclimessence, advanced fabrication with Arduino; Raspberri Pi old time radio; a musical pencil; the Benicia Library Design Challenge; and a T-shirt design challenge.

Nicci Nunes is the organizer and event host. Those who want to attend may respond on MeetUp, www.meetup.com/BeniciaMakerspace/events/194342072/.

Kaiser nurses open contract talks

More than 18,000 Kaiser Permanente registered nurses who work in 86 Kaiser hospitals and clinics throughout Northern California will open contract talks with the hospital organization this week.

Talks involving members of the California Nurses Association United are scheduled to start Thursday. Among the concerns the group has raised is whether Kaiser is sending its patients home too soon, said Zenei Cortez, co-president and a member of the negotiations team.

Kaiser has an enrollment of 9.3 million, Cortez said, making it the largest insurance and hospital system in California.

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

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