Residents in the Martinez-Benicia area are asked to assist with any information in the whereabouts of a Benicia graduate who has been missing since last week. Sidney Avant, 24, was last seen at the Amtrak station in Martinez on Monday, Sept. 17. According to a Facebook post by her father Robert that was shared to […]
Hotrod Hoodlums, Chrysler of Fairfield event Saturday to help Las Juntas Elementary
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette A team-up event Saturday between a Fairfield Chrysler dealership and a Bay Area car club will help raise money for a Martinez elementary school during its annual PTA car show and barbecue. Chrysler of Fairfield is bringing its parent company’s “Cars 4 Classrooms” fundraising program to Las Juntas Elementary […]
Beaver Festival to be held at Susannah Park Saturday
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette The Martinez beavers are back, and so is the annual Martinez Beaver Festival that celebrates wildlife and their contributions to a healthy environment. Founded 11 years ago at a time a new beaver dam in Alhambra Creek might have exacerbated flooding in the city’s downtown business district, the first […]
‘Rosie’ in audience at Betty Reid Soskin’s talk
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Among those in the audience Saturday for Betty Reid Soskin’s book reading and talk was Agnes Moore, who came to California from Arkansas and worked at the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond during World War II as one of the female workers later called “Rosie the Riveters. But Agnes didn’t […]
Oldest park ranger, who influenced ‘Rosie’ museum, speaks in Martinez
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Although Betty Reid Soskin’s work in Richmond during World War II helped the Allied cause, she doesn’t consider herself a “Rosie,” even though other women who helped assemble Victory ships would welcome her into their fold. She secured no rivets. She welded no metal seams. She built no war […]
Entertainers from Benicia, Martinez perform at Rakkasah West
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald Rakkasah West, one of the largest belly dance festivals in the world, featured performers from multiple countries from around the globe as well as from as close as Martinez and Benicia. A longtime celebration of Middle Eastern and North African dance and music, the festival […]
John Sparacino: A model of what every mayor should be like
By Bob Livesay Special to the Herald Martinez just lost a legend. Former mayor and the first elected mayor of Martinez John Sparacino died at 93. I have known John for most of my life in Martinez and after I left to pursue my career. I would always stop by and see John at his […]
Poetry Corner: Georgette Howington “When I’m Gone”
If you think of me in Spring, my love, let the perfume from orange blossoms carried by a gentle breeze kiss you lightly on the cheek and bluebirds lift your spirit where clouds drift across the sky with no limits to your heart’s song. If you think of me in summer, my love, let the […]
Air District wants monitor recommendations
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald Where should additional air monitors be placed in cities that are home to oil refineries? A series of Bay Area Air Quality Management District workshops is letting the public answer that question. Those workshops already have sought answers in Richmond and Martinez, and upcoming sessions […]
Air District to host series of community air monitoring workshops
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) will be hosting a refinery air monitoring workshop next month at Benicia Veterans Memorial Hall. The workshop is part of a series of four events BAAQMD– the agency responsible for protecting air quality in the Bay Area– will be holding over the next three weeks in the […]