Compiled by Nick Sestanovich

75 years ago

Baptist pastor arrives here to found a church (Oct. 1, 1942)

Baptist worship will be held in Benicia next Sunday morning as the beginning of the first Baptist church in the city’s history. The services will be held in U.P.E.O. Hall at 11 o’clock with Rev. Melvin Hamro, of Los Angeles in charge.
A native of South Dakota, Rev. Hamro was educated in theology at Los Angeles and at Temple City, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles. He has also pastored in Minnesota, South Dakota and Kansas.
The nearest church where Benicia Baptists may worship at present is at Vallejo.
Rev. Hamro plans to make a survey of Baptists living here. He says the recent growth of Benicia’s population has been drawn largely from Southern states where Baptists predominate and there must have been a considerable influx of Baptists. He stated that he was especially interested in boys and girls who are not now in Sunday School.
“As soon as we have organized here,” said. Rev. Hamro, “ We will apply to the North Carolina Baptist convention for membership with the intention of asking denominational cooperation.”

50 years ago

Gibson Freeway Dedication Oct. 9 (Sept. 28, 1967)

The $10 million Luther E. Gibson Freeway between Benicia and Cordelia will be formally dedicated in ceremonies at 11 a.m., Monday, Oct. 9.
There will be a brief ceremony at Vista Point, located on the Lake Herman Road interchange, about three miles north of Benicia. A porcelain sign marking the Luther E. Gibson Freeway will be unveiled by an official of the State Department of Public Works.
Senator Gibson, during his 18 years in the State Senate, was a perennial champion of better roads in Northern California. He also was largely responsible for legislation which led to the building of the New Carquinez Bridge and the Benicia-Martinez Bridge.
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Senator Gibson is slated to make brief remarks at the dedicatory ceremony.

25 years ago

Sky Valley fails to bear a consensus (Sept. 27, 1992)

By Sarah Rohrs

Getting Benicians involved in the Sky Valley planning process and attempts to revise the city’s general Plan has turned out to be like the blind man describing an elephant: Everyone has a different opinion.
The City Council took two separate actions Tuesday on the General Plan that affect Sky Valley in some fashion and involves the public, especially in the formation of a citizens’ task force to conduct a General Plan update.
But what effect residents on the task force will have on the proposed housing development north of Benicia is still open to discussion.
Briefly, the council made these decisions Tuesday on the General Plan:
* Through a $50,000 to $100,000 technical review completed by a consultant with staff input, the 1979 General Plan will be redone to incorporate the various amendments and to reflect the present community, and to keep the General Plan from being legally challenged as a result of Sky Valley development.
The council voted 301 with Councilman Jerry Hayes dissenting.
* The goals and vision for Sky Valley will be submitted to the General Plan through an amendment that has already been discussed extensively by the Planning Commission at open meetings.
* A citizens’ task force, comprised of three nominations by each councilman, will review the General Plan to determine how a comprehensive update should proceed. The council voted unanimously in favor of this..

The full articles of these and other stories are available on microfilm at the Benicia Public Library.

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