Our hearts at the Benicia Herald go out to the family, friends and co-workers of the five employees of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Md. who were shot and killed Thursday afternoon as well as the several others who were injured. It is a tragedy that has left people shook since the news broke, especially […]
Cathy Bennett: Is it safe to open your windows, Benicia?
By Cathy Bennett Special to the Herald When the subject of Valero comes up most of us think about the refinery. For many of us, this is a reminder of the toxic emissions it releases into our air on a daily basis. That’s troublesome enough, but most of us are unaware that Valero also operates […]
Bob Livesay: ISO vote was win for voters, residents
By Bob Livesay Special to the Herald Mayor Patterson must be in shock. Why would I say that? The mayor and her gang of 12 just got the shock of their life. Their attempt to hijack the City Council meeting went down in a big defeat, that being the Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO). Backed by […]
Christina Strawbridge: Another late night spent at the City Council Chambers
Several important issues have been voted on by the Benicia City Council in the wee hours of the morning as of late. This past Tuesday was no exception. The packed Chamber was full of those who wanted to speak on the noise ordinance, and the rest of the attendees were there for the Industrial Safety […]
Andrew Kelly: Why Trump’s auto tariffs don’t make sense
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 […]
Pat Toth-Smith: More than a year after the Valero flaring incident, are we safer?
A year after the May 5, 2017 Valero emergency shutdown and major flaring incident, and the subsequent release of more than 74,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air, are we any safer in Benicia? Has the emergency backup electrical generation changed for the refinery since this incident? Should we stop worrying about future emergency […]
Dennis Lund: Five reasons why the GOP needs to hold Congress
Recent history has indicated that first midterm elections do not bode well for new Presidents; both Clinton and Obama lost control of the House, for example. As for Trump, with November fast approaching, there are exaggerated expectations of a “blue wave” sweeping the Democrats into power. This is a distinct possibility in the House, and […]
Andrew Kelly: No surprise BUSD teachers have no confidence in their leader
By Andrew Kelly Special to the Herald There is no simpler, more poignant way to put it: BUSD Superintendent Charles Young has failed his district. He is putting the education of thousands of Benicia’s youngest on the line all because of his relentless approach to cost-cutting. He has openly talked about cutting back on the […]
Bob Livesay: Benicia is losing an unsung hero
By Bob Livesay Special to the Herald That unsung hero is Sue Fisher Jones. Sue is retiring as the public affairs/community relations manager for Valero and going home to Oregon. Sue was a very important part of the community of Benicia. She will definitely be missed. In her position, Sue has been very well-known and […]
Tim Bittle and Michael Nolan: Vote ‘No’ on Regional Measure 3
By Tim Bittle and Michael Nolan Special to the Herald The Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the Solano County Taxpayers Association urge all Solano voters to vote no on Regional Measure 3. Regional Measure 3 would raise bridge tolls another $3 each! That’s on top of the extra 12 cent per gallon tax recently added […]