Many in America have been understandably alarmed by our president’s yearning to place tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported automobiles. And, while many have made very compelling moral arguments as to why it is wrong to place expensive tariffs on products from our own allies, I figured that as someone who has closely […]
The A Cappella Handyman: A CD Adventure!
Here it comes, 34 pages of fun! I started thinking last year of an exhibit of my poems and graphics in the Marilyn O’Rourke Gallery in the Benicia City Library. BUT, all that framing and labeling and storage afterwards, why NOT just put out a CD of 34 pages, the hand-picked best of my monthly […]
Everyday Feng Shui: Keeping the positive energy in; The art of anchoring
”Positive energy is meant to give people confidence and hope, encourage people to love others and life as well as to pursue good things. Everything we do is ultimately for the sake of spreading positive energy.” Lu Wei How wonderful to be surrounded by positive energy! Who wouldn’t want to wake up feeling positive and […]
A Vibrant Faith for the 21st Century: A time to disobey
“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God” (Romans 13:1, New International Version [NIV]). “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let […]
Benicia Letters Once More: Something Happpened
The following “letter” is part of the continuing series from the unpublished novel by James Garrett, “Benicia Letters Once More”. He does not plan to publish the book but instead is choosing to share the letters with the readers of the Benicia Herald. The letters continue the storyline of Garrett’s first novel “Benicia and Letters […]
A Different Drummer: Pinfest Zinfest combined Part 2
I left this story last week with me in a bathtub in Lodi. I was alone. My back was sore. And I was tipsy. That was when, and likely why, I made another bad decision. My bath water was growing cool. It was time for another blast of hot water. I could have just turned […]
Voice of the Village: I thought I’d heard of everything
By Judie Donaldson I did. I thought I’d heard of everything. What a foolish assumption, and it hit home today when I was wading through a recent issue of the New Yorker. Let me explain what prompted me to do a double take. It was a simple story about a man, a Tokyo salesman in […]
The A Cappella Handyman: Non-Rhombus Memorial Shed
While setting up our barbecue Monday for our yearly backyard Memorial Day barbecue, I gave some thought to our garden shed from which all good things come (see Photo). It’s a non-rectangular base with non-parallel sides! It sits right next to our kitchen window up against the house and I did NOT want to obstruct […]
Bob Livesay: Deputy City Clerk Kate Gibbs moving on
By Bob Livesay Special to the Herald The city of Benicia is losing a very valuable and loyal employee. Kate Gibbs is a very well-liked city employee, both by city staff and any residents that she comes in contact with. My experience with Kate has been only positive and, more importantly, very reliable. Employees like […]
Counseling Matters: Summertime at college; something for everyone…
OK, OK… the Memorial Day Weekend passed, and you didn’t get to fly on a fantastical jet with security, lounges and wet bars to a sprawling playground estate near Florida waters on Air Force One, at taxpayers’ expense: Oy. Still, the summertime holds many little-known opportunities ahead – at nearby Diablo Valley College, for […]