It’s been two years since the 2016 crude-by-rail permit for Valero was denied, but a strong memory of it remains for me and probably for a lot of Benicians. It’s because of that experience that I’m urging Benicians to vote for Kari Birdseye for the Benicia City Council. Birdseye was a new Planning Commissioner […]
Pat Toth-Smith: More than a year after the Valero flaring incident, are we safer?
A year after the May 5, 2017 Valero emergency shutdown and major flaring incident, and the subsequent release of more than 74,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air, are we any safer in Benicia? Has the emergency backup electrical generation changed for the refinery since this incident? Should we stop worrying about future emergency […]
Pat Toth-Smith: US Senate candidate Kevin de Leon’s visit to Benicia shed light on stances
By Pat Toth-Smith Special to the Herald “My core values are inclusivity, diversity, respecting human and civil rights, and I have a track record of growing the economy and putting people to work,” U.S. Senate candidate Kevin de Leon said when asked what strengths he would bring to the job. He passionately continued, “I’m also […]