Move forward with ISO Benicia suffered a major toxic incident when Valero emitted thousands of pounds of dangerous chemicals last May. On a continuing basis, Benicia’s Valero refinery is fined by Bay Area and State agencies for emissions exceeding toxic limits. Currently, access to the refinery emissions data as well as the actions taken to […]
Letters: Crab feed canceled, Benicia Chamber Players, a good Samaritan and more
Lions Crab Feed canceled Dear Friends of Benicia Lions Club, It is with regret that we must inform you that we will not be holding the Annual Lions Crab Feed this year. This is a temporary postponement of the event, we have all intentions of having the same event next year. The reason for the […]
Mark Altgelt: Best plan for managing California’s water supply
By Mark Altgelt Special to the Herald California’s primary source of water is at risk because sea level is gradually rising and will begin to contaminate the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta estuary with ocean water. Sea level is predicted to rise 3 to 7 feet by 2100, depending on how fast Antarctic and Greenland ice […]
Stan Golovich: Support the majority
Support the majority The present substantial majority voter support for regulated adult-use cannabis in Benicia has its roots in the 2010 Proposition 19 results in our town. Prop. 19 was the first attempt to measure voter sentiment in California with regard to legalization and regulation of cannabis. Although the measure failed at state and Solano […]
Dennis Lund: Democrats get caught in the ‘gotcha’ game
Recent events have demonstrated that Sen. Al Franken is a crude bore with a childish sense of humor. Nothing new there, anyone observing the senator in action has long been aware that the man is out of place in the halls of power. But the current kerfuffle over a 2006 photo showing him pretending to […]
Craig Snider: Time to move on with cannabis ordinance
Since posting my editorial on cannabis in the Benicia Herald on Nov. 3, I’ve had ample opportunity to review many comments both here and on social media sites Nextdoor and Facebook’s “Benicia Happenings” group. While many share my view that cannabis shops are no more deleterious to our community than another coffee shop or nail […]
Letters: Water rates and cannabis
Time for a change? I feel compelled to write this letter about the water rates and outrageous maintenance charges the city of Benicia charges the homeowners who live in Benicia. In the 27 years that my wife and I have lived here, we have been subjected to pay the all-time rates this city has imposed […]
Letter: Making enemies out of friends
Making enemies out of friends Over the past 14 years (this will end in 2020), Mayor Patterson has had great success in making enemies out of friends. Her biggest achievement on this has been Valero. You know, that refinery in Benicia that has been called by many a very good neighbor? I have to give […]
Letter: Misplaced blame
Misplaced blame The Herald published a snide ad from Valero on Tuesday, unbecoming to a corporation, stooping to accusations of our city officials who work so hard to represent the electorate and assure us that the city is governed by good stewardship. There is no need to take on our Mayor, as though she alone […]
Kathy Kerridge: Working toward a local safety ordinance to keep Benicians safe, informed
Benicia is the only city in Solano County that is home to a refinery – and the only Bay Area refinery city left unprotected by a local Industrial Safety Ordinance (ISO). Fortunately, the City of Benicia can learn from State and Contra Costa County expertise in order to develop and implement its own. The […]