Staff Report Kari Birdseye, chair of the Benicia Planning Commission and a candidate in the City Council election, garnered four endorsements over the last two weeks, including one from Benicia’s representative in Congress, Rep. Mike Thompson. “I’ve endorsed Kari because she shares our vision of serving the community to make Benicia the best that it […]
Real estate agent seeks school board seat
Adrean Hayashi became inspired to run for the Benicia school board in the midst of a yearlong dispute over teacher’s wages. The driving factor for the mother of six was seeing teachers rallying and holding signs outside Joe Henderson Elementary School as the Benicia Teachers Union and Benicia Unified School District were at an impasse […]
A Different Drummer: Sucking lemons for nutrients
News gives me the blues. I don’t hide my head in the sand because of it. I’m still a concerned citizen. I just don’t like what I’m hearing and reading. Every news item, every trial, every confession, every outburst, every infraction gets chewed over for a thousand hours by a thousand pundits and broadcast over […]
Jeff Burkhart’s “Rhyme & Reason”: To the Wanderers (And their staff :^)
Nomadic tribes a ’wander Playing notes to make a living Getting paid by local folks Who value what they’re giving No thunderstorms or holidays Will keep them from their playing No one night stand can stop them And convince them that they’re staying So here’s to all the minstrels As they’re living out their fate […]
HPRC discusses proposed design standards
The Historic Preservation Review Commission (HPRC) held a study session on interim design standards for multi-family housing proposals put forth by Senate Bill 35 at its Thursday meeting. The goal of SB 35 is to require cities to approve qualifying multi-family housing projects consistent and objective and design review standards when the California Department of […]
Benicia tour guide to play 150 holes of golf for charity
Proceeds will benefit fire victims The summer of 2018 has seen scores of fires throughout California, and fire season has not even started yet. Among the bigger ones are the Carr Fire, which has burned nearly 230,000 acres throughout Shasta and Trinity counties and is 90 percent contained, and the Mendocino Complex Fire, which has […]
Candidate Spotlight: Retired carpenter William Emes hopes to unify City Council
William Emes Jr., the newest candidate to enter the Benicia City Council race, sees his experience as different from anyone on the council. The 25-year resident and retired journeyman carpenter hopes to use that to his advantage to bring new ideas to the elected body. “What we’re witnessing in the world today is an incredible […]
Flashback Friday: Herald headlines for the week of Aug. 26, 1943, 1968 and 1993
Compiled by Nick Sestanovich 75 years ago Little Reno Carnival Benefit To Be Held September 2, 3, 4 (August 26, 1943) There will be three days of fun and frolic at the “Little Reno Carnival” given under the auspices of the Benicia Auxiliary Police and the Kiwanis club next Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at […]
Voice of the Village; Technology: It’s going to change how we age
By Judie Donaldson I just returned from a vacation with my family at Lake Tahoe, which is about as beautiful and serene a setting as I have known. But, while I was there, I noticed something curious. I observed that my two daughters and two sons-in-law––all of whom are professionals with demanding jobs––were completely free […]
The A Cappella Handyman: Bottom of My Bottom
At the bottom of my economic bottom, in 1999, I went to the Want Ads and looked for work: “Plumber Trainee, No experience necessary. We train. Must have own tools and truck.” How hard could that be? I’d always done my own home plumbing and that of my parents since I was 15 so I […]