Benicia ISO would enhance public health and safety In his April 22 letter, Roger Straw cited a March 2018 report form the Solano County Department of Health which shows that Benicia’s rate of emergency room and hospital admissions related to asthma is much higher in comparison to statewide numbers. I wonder if anything in Benicia’s […]
Letter: Asthma in Benicia
Asthma: Benicia deserves better In her letter of March 6, Constance Beutel wrote, “Benicia deserves better health and safety protection from potentially dangerous industrial mishaps and toxic emissions.” She went on to describe the actual experience of many in our community who suffer from asthma, relating their suffering to the huge amount – 3 million […]
Letters: Civic engagement and ISO
Civic engagement of young people The League of Women Voters Benicia (LWV Benicia) would like to congratulate Benicia High School for their outstanding achievements in student civic engagement. The LWV Benicia has been active in their program for several years, going into senior government classes to explain the voting process and register students to vote. […]
Letter: Benicia deserves better
Benicia deserves better Benicia is the only Bay Area refinery town that does not have the community protection of an Industrial Safety Ordinance, or ISO. In 1999, the city of Richmond and Contra Costa County adopted their interlocking ISOs. The Richmond ordinance mirrors the Contra Costa ISO, and Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials Division is […]
Letters: ISO and cannabis
Real-time air monitoring needed According to a May 23 KQED article regarding the May 5 Valero Benicia Refinery incident: “The refinery should be held to higher safety standards, the same standards that the four refineries in Contra Costa are held to,” Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia said. The number of serious refinery accidents in Contra […]
A Mayor’s Perspective: A Look at 2017
By Elizabeth Patterson Benicia Mayor (Editor’s Note: A portion of this article ran in Sunday’s Year in Review section. It is being reprinted here in its entirety.) Mutual understanding and consensus on the most pressing issues facing Benicia will allow the city to focus its limited resources and the city council to make the necessary […]
Letter: Benicia deserves better
Benicia deserves better Here’s something that might take your breath away, literally. I recently learned that the city of Benicia has not received a report from Valero concerning the events that led to a large release of toxic chemicals into the air in May. The event was serious enough to cause evacuation of the industrial […]
Roger Straw: Councilmembers and city staff, please get the ball rolling on ISO
At its May 23, 2017 meeting, the Benicia City Council agreed on a 4-1 vote to “agendize in the future” a discussion on possible adoption of an Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO). That was over seven months ago now. More than most, I am aware of the time it often takes for government to move forward […]
2017 Year in Review: Local issues dominated Benicia in past year
The year 2018 is just around the corner. Before we see what the new year has to offer, let us look back at the big stories that affected Benicia in 2017. Staff changes In February, interim City Manager Steve Salomon left to become the interim city manager of Orinda. Fire Chief Jim Lydon initially filled […]
Letters: ISO and cannabis
ISO will create better informed community A lot has been said and written over the past several weeks on bringing an industrial safety ordinance (ISO) to the city of Benicia. Or, perhaps we should think of it as a community safety ordinance, which is what a Benicia ISO would also represent. As a resident of […]