Lucca Beer Garden wants to add a little more music in Benicia’s summer. The restaurant has filed a petition with the Benicia City Council to try a temporary relief of the noise regulations for their establishment. This debate will be discussed at tonight’s regular council meeting. Current rules in downtown Benicia allow for amplified sound […]
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” […]
Benicia High Schooler attending technological leadership conference in Boston
At 15 years old, Alia Toth-Smith has already made splashes in the world. The Benicia High School sophomore will attend the 2017 Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders in Boston from June 28 to July 1. Toth-Smith was adopted from China at an early age and has lived in Benicia for most her life. […]
School board reinstates previous graduation requirements
After more than a month of hearing people’s concerns, the Governing Board of the Benicia Unified School District voted for Benicia High School to revert back to its previous graduation requirements at Thursday’s meeting. On Jan. 14, the board held a study session to discuss proposed new graduation requirements for Benicia High and went into […]
‘Casablanca’ to be screened at Majestic in July
From the 1920s through the ‘70s, the Majestic Theatre was the place in Benicia to see first-run movies on the big screen, even when it had competition from the Victory Theatre. Apart from a period in the ‘70s where it was screening classic movies and its annual Benicia Film Festival in September, the Majestic has […]
BAAQMD investigation into Valero flareup continues
Approximately 74,000 pounds of sulfur have been released into the atmosphere since the Valero Benicia Refinery shutdown on May 5, according to a report the company submitted to the California Office of Emergency Services. On May 5, a disruption at the refinery led to a power outage. After power was restored, a large plume of […]
Les Overlock: Peter McNeill defies expectations in current Milinda Perry exhibit
Art Review By Les Overlock The current show at Melina Perry’s Gallery is a “tour de force” art exhibit because the human figure does not often appear in Benicia’s galleries- especially the nude figure. But Peter McNeill, the artist, pulls a stunning trick on the viewer’s eye. The public generally thinks they are seeing photography. […]
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 […]
Benicia Police launch Instagram account
Filled with selfies, emojis and hashtags galore, the Benicia Police Department have been showing a different side of themselves lately. This new side of the police the community has been seeing might be because the Benicia Police Department launched a new Instagram account on June 9. Irma Widjojo, the management analyst for the Benicia Police […]
Benicia World War II veteran Harold Bray turns 90
Harold Bray, a Benicia resident and World War II veteran known for being one of more than 300 people to survive the sinking of a Naval cruiser, is celebrating his 90th birthday today. In 1944, Ironwood, Mich. native Bray enlisted in the Navy as a senior in high school. He began attending boot camp in […]