(This poem is dedicated to Johanna Ely, Benicia’s sixth poet laureate who completed her term at the end of June.) How very much we’ve been enriched, Through you as poet laureate, this past two years. So like the hummingbird to which you are drawn, A mirror image in so many ways. Drawing forth sustenance as […]
Poetry Corner: James Garrett “Evening Flight”
An evening wind is blowing, Softly pushing at the leaves. Above, a lone plane flies on through the night. I picture you seated by a window. The fragrance of your perfume envelopes me, And I wish that you were home with me tonight. Wish that I could hold you again, As I hear the sound […]
The A Cappella Handyman: Dear Writer
Dear Writer And suppose there wasn’t a single soul in your audience. Would you write any more or any less? Would you write any better or any worse? Or would you write despite the fact that no one heard a single word? Yes, I believe that write you will and write you must, whether you […]
Throwback Thursday: Herald headlines for the week of July 22, 1943, 1968 and 1993
Compiled by Nick Sestanovich 75 years ago Plan For New Streets Are Progressing (July 22, 1943) According to the tabulation of returns from property owners less than 5 per cent of the property owners opposed to the simplified form submitted for forming the proposed Street Improvement Assessment District in Benicia, The City Council recently sent […]
Council denies mayor’s request for ISO rehearing
In yet another marathon meeting that lasted almost until midnight, the Benicia City Council voted 3-2 to reject Mayor Elizabeth Patterson’s request to rehear the council’s June 19 vote on reviewing a draft Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO) for the city. The matter will not be heard again until November at the earliest. Patterson first requested […]
‘Obtainium Cup’ Contraptor Race Sunday On Mare Island
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette A road race will pit the drivers of some oddball vehicles against flying monkeys, robots and zombies Sunday on Vallejo’s Mare Island. The contest is called “The Obtainium Cup Contraptor’s Road Rally,” and this is the seventh year for the organized mayhem. It’s somewhat inspired by the three-day Kinetic […]
Thompson shares insight on those seeking asylum, entrance to US
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette The latest group of people who are trying to enter the United States through amnesty or asylum are coming from conditions that have made them desperate, said United States Representative Mike Thompson. “These folks are unsafe in their home spot,” he said. “They are appealing to the United States […]
Farmar PTA to raise funds for music program with benefit concert at Lucca
Lucca Beer Garden is generally not open Wednesdays, but to help raise money for a good cause, the stage will be filled with the sounds of music for a special concert benefiting the music program at Mary Farmar Elementary School. The Mary Farmar PTA Music Committee will be hosting its Gimme a Beat! Benefit concert […]
A Vibrant Faith for the 21st Century; Where Fools Rush In: An interpretation of Numbers 5
I came of age, as an evangelical Christian, in the period 1977 to 1983, during which time I attended Wheaton College. That form of evangelical Christianity was very, very different than the form it took following the rise of the religious right in the middle and late 1980s. In particular, abortion was not nearly the […]
SolTrans hosting public meetings at farmers market, library on transit service improvement
Staff Report SolTrans will be hosting a series of meetings and workshops in Benicia and Vallejo to allow the public to provide input with the revision of local service. The goal of the meetings is to help SolTrans improve its local routes, General Public Dial-A-Ride and Local Taxi Scrip services. The first workshop will be […]