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General News

King of the County event draws record crowd

King of the County event draws record crowd

“I just got a whiff of really good barbecue,” a passerby said to his kids as they headed to Waterfront Park Saturday afternoon, and if you were in downtown Martinez any time over the weekend, it’s likely you did too. The park was the site of the 7th annual King of the County BBQ Challenge [...]

Martinez Sister to mark 70 years of religious life

Martinez Sister to mark 70 years of religious life

A dozen Sisters of Providence will celebrate 50, 60 and 70 years of religious life at an August Jubilee in Seattle, one of them Martinez’s own Rita Bergamini (Sister Marie Carmen). Sister Bergamini created the first permanent archives for the former Sacred Heart Province and was keeper of the memory of the Sisters of Providence [...]

Forrest Routt, keeper of two Alhambra High Schools

Forrest Routt, keeper of two Alhambra High Schools

Forrest Routt held the distinction of serving as super­intendent of Alhambra Union High School District as well as Superintendent of the Martinez Grammar School District from 1933 to 1950. This biography is dedicated in his honor for his service and dedication to the students and citizens of Martinez. Born on Oct. 7, 1882, in Cairo, [...]

Eye of Diablo removed for restoration

Eye of Diablo removed for restoration

The “Eye of Diablo,” the historic aviation beacon which sits atop Mount Diablo and shines in honor of those who served at Pearl Harbor each Dec. 7, was lifted off its perch Tuesday, June 11, to undergo much needed rest­oration. During recent budget cuts and tightening of belts, a precedent setting partnership has formed to [...]

Sports

Little League team in champs tourney

Little League team in champs tourney

The Cubs of the AA division of the Martinez Youth Baseball league won the Martinez championship game on June 8, beating the Athletics’ 9-8. Saturday, June 15, the Cubs played in the Tournament of Champions (TOC) where they faced the Dragons from North Oakland, according to Manager Will Frisbie. The game ended 12-6 to the [...]

Bocce Scores: Week eight, June 15, 2013

Bocce Week 8 June 15 2013 Gazette Week 8 June 15 2013 Gazette

Livestrong, Armstrong, Nike are the good, the bad & the ugly

By JOHN FULLER Gazette Columnist Livestrong Foundation, Lance Armstrong, and Nike is a case of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. With very little fanfare Nike dropped their support of the Livestrong Foundation over the last couple of weeks. It barely made a blip on the human radar. Yet, it should have. Let’s review how [...]

CrossFit comes to Martinez

CrossFit comes to Martinez

As Barry Thompson is finishing his jump rope sets, coaches look on and challenge him, telling him if he speeds it up he’ll beat his son. Thompson is finishing a CrossFit workout comprised of power snatch (a lift where athletes raise a barbell over their heads from a hanging position) and jump rope double unders [...]

Arts & Entertainment

Nolan & Snyder deliver super Man of Steel

Nolan & Snyder deliver super Man of Steel

Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate here: I am not a Superman fan. I find him to be an incredibly outdated superhero who hasn’t changed much in the core of his character since his incarnation in the late 1930s. Superman more than any other hero has always felt, to me, out [...]

Local singer, songwriter Lucas Ohio set to release third LP July 5

Local singer, songwriter Lucas Ohio set to release third LP July 5

A hometown release party at Armando’s is scheduled for July 5 to celebrate Lucas Ohio’s much anticipated new LP, “Slingshot Kid.” Featuring 12 new songs, supporting Lucas Ohio in this effort is a band made up of some of the Bay Area’s best rock talent including John Howland on slide and lead guitar, Andrew Gibson [...]

Art contest draws 82 kids

Art contest draws 82 kids

MARTINEZ, Calif. – The Martinez News-Gazette held its 33rd Annual Art Contest this week with a great response from the locals. Eighty-two contestants from five different schools entered the competition, which prompted children to answer the question, “What’s your favorite book or story?” in a drawing. Children in kindergarten through 6th grade were eligible to [...]

Clarinet Fusion to play at Martinez Senior Center

Clarinet Fusion to play at Martinez Senior Center

Clarinet Fusion, a most unique collaboration of clarinetists, will perform on Sunday, June 30, at 2 p.m. at the Martinez Senior Center. The group features 10 superb musicians playing seven different clarinets. They range from the A-flat Piccolo clarinet, only 14 inches long, to the Double B-flat Contrabass clarinet almost nine feet in length. This [...]

Home & Garden

Black berries & blue berries, oh my

Black berries & blue berries, oh my

“Oh Grandpa! Look at the berries!” Brie exclaimed when she saw the berry bushes growing in the yard. I watched as she carefully plucked a big juicy red raspberry from among the thorns. She showed it to her grandfather and he nodded in approval at her choice. Quick as a wink, the berry disappeared! She [...]

Apricot crostata

Apricot crostata

I have enjoyed the best apricots this year. It is a good season for them so don’t miss out. Eat them up before they are gone, as apricot season is a short season, and if you have a surplus, here is a delicious recipe for a rustic pie called a crostata. The amaretti cookies lend [...]

A tousle haired tot and her pop

A tousle haired tot and her pop

Big brown eyes peeped over the back of a pew three rows in front of me before church services started at St. Catherine’s of Sienna last week. The tousle haired toddler soon stood up backwards on the pew between her mom and dad. Cute as a bug’s ear, as my mother would have said. The [...]

Copy+pasta

What fun I had this weekend, harvesting my garlic. Planted in early spring (though it could have been planted in the fall) I finally got to pull these beautiful bulbs out of the dirt. By the way, if you have dirt, you can plant garlic, and onions for that matter. Such a great use of [...]

History

This week in history: June 2

This week in history: June 2

May 28, 1754: Lieutenant Colonel George Washington begins the Seven Year’s War Twenty-two-year-old George Washington, lieutenant colonel of the Virginia militia, defeats a party of French and Native American scouts in Pennsylvania. Virginia was attempting to lay claim to the territory for its settlers. Washington had been sent by Virginia Governor Robert Dinwiddie, to build [...]

This week in history: May 26

This week in history: May 26

May 21, 1932: Earhart completes transatlantic flight Five years after aviator Charles Lindbergh became the first pilot to accomplish a nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean, female aviator Amelia Earhart became the first pilot to repeat the feat, landing her plane in Ireland, ending her flight across the North Atlantic. She traveled 2,000 miles in [...]

This week in history: May 5

April 30, 1789: First presidential inauguration One of America’s great military leaders of the American Revolution, a head commander of the colonial army, George Washington is inaugurated as the first president of the newly formed United States. He was unanimously chosen by all sixty-nine electors in February 1789. The following month, the newly drafted constitution [...]

This week in history: April 28

This week in history: April 28

April 22, 1915: Germans introduce poisonous gas to the battlefield German Forces shocked Allied soldiers along the western front by firing more than 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas against two French divisions at Ypres Belgium. This was the first major gas attack used by the Germans. The French had used small amounts of tear [...]

Opinion

Anonymous to MUSD leaders: ‘Ssshhh!’

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter regarding the graduation ceremony for Martinez Junior High School on Thursday, June 6. I was a guest at the graduation and was sitting on the lawn next to where the staff, board members, and district office personnel were seated. I was appalled to see the Superintendent, Rami Muth, [...]

Keeping the Faith: Thanks Dad, for wising up

Keeping the Faith: Thanks Dad, for wising up

I’m writing this article while sitting in my father’s chair. You know the chair of which I speak. It is that ratty old recliner that occupies the living room, den, or man-cave that no guest or other family member is ever allowed access. It belongs exclusively to my father. So, how did I plant my [...]

‘The treasonous acts of the Republican Party’

Now believe me, it’s actually not at all easy writing up this entry considering the fact this could go for a WIDE range of people that tend to think they’re actually doing the country a great benefit. However, just as I had thought of the fact that we happen to have communists that have gotten [...]

Right to the Point: Non-existent marina restaurant

Right to the Point: Non-existent marina restaurant

Well, I can see that our Martinez City Council and our mayor, along with staff, has got your minds off the marina (again). See, they come out and tell all of you, what would you all think of a brand new restaurant right down at the waters edge? Right here in Martinez? Well, we will [...]