(This article has been updated from the print edition.) Robert Hitchcock, a Benicia resident who served on 32 missions over Europe during World War II, died in his sleep Jan. 30. He was 94. Hitchcock was born in Concord in 1923. His cousin was Jimmy Doolittle, the Alameda-born aviator and Reserve officer known for leading […]
Benician throws in bid for Solano County Superior Court judge
Steve Gizzi, the managing partner of a Benicia law firm and a former City Councilmember, announced his candidacy for Solano County Superior Court judge this week. Gizzi and his volunteers collected enough signatures from Solano County residents to be placed on the June 5 ballot. Gizzi is a managing partner with the law firm Gizzi […]
Police, DOJ shut down illegal gambling operation
3 El Sobrante residents arrested Benicia police broke up an illegal gambling operation Thursday, according to a news release. The Benicia Police Department had partnered with the California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control for a four-month investigation into an alleged illegal gambling business operating in the 2000 block of Columbus Parkway. The business, […]
Cannabis, Foundry and Office buildings back on council agenda
Two issues that have been hotly debated by the Benicia City Council in the past year– cannabis laws and the final decision of an emergency demolition permit for two historic buildings– are on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. The council will introduce ordinances to allow personal cultivation and to regulate and allow commercial cannabis uses […]
Teachers rally for higher funding priorities
Several Benicia Unified School District teachers rallied outside City Park an hour before Thursday’s school board meeting to raise awareness of ongoing negotiations between the Benicia Teachers Association (BTA) and BUSD. On Jan. 24, BUSD and BTA held a negotiations meeting one day after a budget workshop which focused on providing information related to school […]
BUSD business chief: $800K needed for balanced budget
Benicia Unified School District would need to make $800,000 in ongoing adjustments for its budget to break even, Chief Business Official Tim Rahill reported at Thursday’s school board meeting. On Jan. 10, Gov. Jerry Brown announced his final January budget proposal. After gathering information from the proposal, Rahill said BUSD would need to make $800,000 […]
Wine, chocolate on tap for Benicia Main Street event tomorrow
Wine and chocolate connoisseurs should be delighted because Benicia Main Street’s Wine & Chocolate Walk returns tomorrow. The Wine and Chocolate Walk is an annual event which allows attendees over the age of 21 an opportunity to try wine and chocolate pairings at downtown businesses. Beginning in 2012, the walk is one one the most […]
Vallejo PD to ramp up DUI patrolling efforts for Super Bowl Sunday
This Sunday is Super Bowl LII, and the stakes are high. Will the New England Patriots win their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy, or will it be snatched away by the Philadelphia Eagles for their first-ever Super Bowl victory? Anything can happen, but one thing is for certain: if you are planning on traveling and consuming […]
‘Urban Landscapes’ is theme for artist’s eighth Plein Air Gallery show
Rolando Barrero, an award-winning local artist, will be exhibiting his work at Benicia Plein Air Gallery for the eighth time. The topic of the show happens to be its very title, “Urban Landscapes,” which is a favorite subject of Barrero’s. Barrero began painting as a student at the Philippines’ Mapua Institute of Technology in 1966 […]
Virtual reality comes to Benicia Public Library
Walls of reality are collapsing at the Benicia Public Library. Well, not really, but the new virtual reality programs at the Benicia Library are blurring those lines. The Library began its virtual reality program through Califa Library Group, a nonprofit library membership consortium. Califa began sending California libraries emails asking libraries if their institutions would […]