Compiled by Nick Sestanovich

75 years ago

Stations for emergency first aid chosen (May 14, 1942)

Heads of the medical and first aid division of the Benicia Defense Council met last night in the offices of Dr. Lewis H. Sanborn to discuss the setting up of several emergency first aid stations throughout the city.
Sites chosen for the stations include the Benicia Fisheries, the office of Dr Sanborn, the office of Dr. Crisp, St. Catherine’s Academy, the basement of the Joseph Gando residence and one of the units at Grant Circle.
Each of the stations is to be equipped with emergency materials and supplies, and will be staffed with first aiders. At least two ambulances will be assigned to each station.
Present at the meeting were Dr. Sanborn, Mike Fitzgerald, Frank Passalacqua and Chief of Police J.E. Ackerman.

50 years ago

Benicia’s Warning: ‘Keep Off the Grass’ (May 11, 1967)

(Current editor’s note: This appears to be a quasi-editorial that was printed above the nameplate. Its reprinting is not intended to be a commentary on the current cannabis debate.)

Like a slumbering Rip Van Winkle that is showing signs of coming alive again after a long sleep, this city at the upper end of the Carquinez Strait is stirring from its lethargy and with this movement is coming economic progress and headaches for the police department.
Benicia all but pulled its sidewalks and prepared to let the grass grow in the streets after the Arsenal was ordered closed in 1961 by order of defense Secretary Robert McNamara.
Fortunately, the grass didn’t grow in the streets.
Instead, “grass” began growing in homes and in automobiles and wherever young people gathered. It has “made the scene” as the hippies say in their lexicon that has a word for everything and every happening.
“Grass” os the jargon for marijuana which also is known as “pot.” It may not be habit forming as they claim and if Police Chief Romeo C. Lavezzo and his two-man narcotics team have their way the fuzz will be chasing the “grass” right out of Benicia.
Already the lines have been drawn by police here— if you are thinking of coming to Benicia for a high time of smoking pot, taking injections of dangerous drugs or using the hard stuff for a quick fix, just forget it.

25 years ago

City planners resume study of Sky Valley (May 12, 1992)

By Sarah Rohrs

With more than 3,350 acres, or 68 percent of the Sky Valley land undeveloped, open space is the predominate land-use in the unincorporated land north of Benicia.
Planning commissioners Wednesday will continue an in-depth analysis of a development plan for Sky valley contained in the Sky Valley Specific Plan.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers and will be broadcast live on cable access Channel 6.
Open space, schools, a proposed golf course, neighborhood parks, trails, the roadway system, and the enormous amount of infrastructure required to make any development in the northern area possible will be discussed.
Specific infrastructure needs to be discussed include the road and street system, sewage treatment, water supply, storm drainage system, energy and energy communications.

The full articles of these and other stories are available on microfilm at the Benicia Public Library.

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