It has been said that when one door closes, another door opens. In the case of 632 First St., it is two doors that will be opening to bring two new businesses into the space, both offering different models but sharing the same philosophy. The address that spent a period as Benicia’s post office and […]
Valero awards $320k to 21 charities
Twenty-one charity organizations, including 10 from Benicia and Vallejo, received a combined $320,000 in grants awarded through the Valero Benicia Refinery’s participation in the Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children Golf Classic held in the company’s headquarters in San Antonio, Texas last April. The golf tournament raised a record $11 million with funds to […]
School board OKs first half of elementary student achievement plans
The Governing Board of the Benicia Unified School District unanimously approved the Single Plans for Student Achievement (SPSAs) at two of its elementary schools Thursday. The plans were written by the school’s site councils and presented by their principals. Robert Semple Elementary The first to present was Christina Moore, the principal of Robert Semple Elementary […]
Benicia resident makes mats for homeless
Benicia resident Nancy Hall is a skilled crocheter, but to her knitting is more than just a hobby. She uses her crochet creations for a good cause, namely providing beds for the homeless. Through using a variety of materials, Hall creates mats to be distributed to volunteer groups that serve Vallejo’s homeless population. This project […]
Patterson responds to BUSD cannabis resolution
As the Benicia City Council plans to introduce an ordinance at its Nov. 7 meeting regarding the allowance of cannabis dispensaries in town, many people on both sides have spoken their minds on the topic. This includes officials in the Benicia Unified School District, who have expressed concerns over safety– particularly potential access by children. […]
Grayson to take part in senior scam prevention seminar in Concord, Nov. 14
Seniors, unfortunately, are susceptible to scams in a lot of forms. Due to them typically having a lot of money in their accounts, seniors are generally targeted by scammers through phone calls, emails and even mailers. These scams include everything from telemarketing, insurance fraud, medical fraud, investment schemes, sweepstakes and more. However, with the right […]
Henderson, Semple student achievement plans on table for Thursday’s school board meeting
At the Oct. 19 school board meeting, the principals of Benicia Unified School District’s three secondary schools delivered the Single Plans for Student Achievement for their schools, which were unanimously approved by the board. Now the board is in the process of hearing from the elementary school principals, but unlike in past years where all […]
HPRC OKs resolution laying groundwork for Historic Conservation Plan updates
The Historic Preservation Review Commission (HPRC) approved a resolution to support updates to design guidelines for the Downtown Historic Conservation Plan (DHCP) and appointed chair Tim Reynolds to serve on the project’s Community Advisory Group at Thursday’s meeting. The presentation was delivered by Benicia’s new principal planner, Suzanne Thorsen. Thorsen previously served in associate and […]
Student clubs advocate for gender-neutral bathrooms at BHS
Two of Benicia High School’s most prominent student activist clubs have been working to promote a more inclusive campus. To further this, the club’s student leaders have been promoting the establishment of a gender-neutral, single occupancy restroom. The Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) and Intersectional Gender Equity and Feminism (IGEF) clubs have joined forces to craft a […]
Solano County Environmental Health report details meetings over Valero flaring incidents
No violations found in refinery outage A report released by Solano County environmental health investigators found that Valero Benicia Refinery did not violate any Certified Unified Program Agencies regulations when more than 74,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide were released into the air following a flareup back in May and at least two other release incidents. […]