By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News Gazette Special to the Herald Ahoy, ye salty sea rogues and land-locked lubbers! Tuesday be International Talk Like a Pirate Day, a date in which it becomes perfectly acceptable to sound like actor Robert Newton, whose portrayal of the dread Long John Silver in “Treasure Island” set the standard […]
‘Matthew Turner’ ship gets lower masts
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald The Matthew Turner, the first wooden tall ship of its size being built in the San Francisco Bay Area in 100 years finally got its lower masts. The “stepping of the masts” – putting each of the 5,000-pound lower masts in place – began at […]
Plenty of power available during tomorrow’s eclipse
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald The solar eclipse begins locally at 9:01 a.m. Monday, and while California is south of the path of totality, prepared Benicia residents with the proper equipment can watch as the sun is masked to a sliver by the moon. The maximum eclipse, when the moon […]
Attorney General Becerra hopes to block Martinez terminal sale to Valero
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News Gazette Special to the Herald California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced he is seeking an injunction to block Valero Energy Corporation from buying the Martinez petroleum terminal, a purchase he called “anti-competitive behavior” and “unacceptable.” A court hearing on the motion is expected to take place next month. Becerra […]
King of the sea stars in Sirens Lagoon at Pirate Festival
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News Gazette Special to the Herald Usually Justin Vorhauer strolls the Northern California Pirate Festival as a character familiar to those who like pirate history – or rum. He has portrayed Henry Morgan for the past three years, working alongside such other famed historical pirates as Grace O’Malley, Edward “Blackbeard” […]
Turn Dad into a pirate for Father’s Day Weekend
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News Gazette Special to the Herald The largest pirate festival in the United States gives families a fun option for Fathers Day weekend – turn Dad into a buccaneer. Whether the family favors Captain Jack Sparrow of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie franchise, Peter Pan’s nemesis Captain Hook, the […]
Youngsters face challenges at Vallejo Pirate Festival
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News Gazette Special to the Herald Worried that your children are spending too much time on electronic devices? Are they fresh out of class and already bored? Greg Medley and Maria Eivers-Medley have a solution. Enroll them in pirate school. The couple operates the Anne Bonny and Jack Rackham School […]
Local authors write World War II novel with a twist
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald Two longtime friends have collaborated on a World War II novel with a twist that has been flying off Amazon’s shelves even before its formal release date. The book is called “Fata Morgana,” named for both a specific type of mirage and a sorceress from […]
Pirate Festival half price ticket period ends Thursday
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez New Gazette The Northern California Pirate Festival is returning to the Vallejo Waterfront Park Fathers’ Day weekend, and organizers are offering tickets at half price through Thursday. These are the early bird ticket sales, offered for admission to the family-oriented entertainment both Saturday, June 17, and Sunday, June 18, as […]
After years under construction, ‘Matthew Turner’ hits the water
First wooden tall ship built in San Francisco Bay Area in 100 years By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News Gazette Special to the Benicia Herald As bands played an estimated 1,000 people watched on land and on watercraft in Richardson Bay, the Matthew Turner finally touched water, leaving the shores of Sausalito Saturday afternoon. The […]