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General News

Council delays decision on Laurel Knoll development

Council delays decision on Laurel Knoll development

The Martinez City Council delayed their decision on the development of the Laurel Knoll project, which would place high-density housing at 370 Muir Station Road. Mayor Rob Schroder said that it would not behoove council to make the decision without the input on Councilmembers Menesini and Avila-Farias, both of whom were excused. Menesini is still [...]

Alhambra students named state auto champs

Alhambra students named state auto champs

MARTINEZ, Calif. – A two-student team from Alhambra High School overcame some of the best auto students in the state at the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition. Ryan Geoffray and Joey Exner took first place in the Northern California division of the statewide competition. Their instructor at Alhambra is Brian Wheeler. The competition is designed [...]

Dolly in a rice paddy

Dolly in a rice paddy

Jay Archibald moved to Martinez a couple or three decades ago. In his former life he’d been a soldier. In Martinez, he became an international tour guide. Today, he’s a regular at Legal Grounds Coffee Shop and loves his reflected glory as the husband of Janet Archibald-Popescue. (Janet, as many of you know, is the [...]

The Mix …

The Mix …

Sports

Lady Bulldogs put hurt on Matadors; ready for NCS

By MIKE JONES Gazette contributor ORINDA, Calif. – Ending the regular season the way it started, with a lopsided win, the Alhambra High girls softball team slammed Miramonte 23-0 Thursday in its final tune-up for what looks to be a difficult run toward its first-ever North Coast Section Division II Championship. The Bulldogs, led once [...]

Bulldogs take down Miramonte; look forward to NCS playoff matchup

By MIKE JONES Gazette contributor ORINDA, Calif. Don’t look now but the Alhambra High baseball team is headed to the playoffs. That’s right, despite a decidedly bumpy road during a season which saw the team stricken with injuries and offensive lapses, the Bulldogs are en route to the North Coast Section Division III Playoffs following [...]

Warriors playoff run scratched by Spurs

Warriors playoff run scratched by Spurs

GOLDEN STATE falls in battle against SAN ANTONIO in Conference Semi-Finals. OAKLAND, Calif. – The Golden State Warriors came home for game six of the Western Conference Semi Finals against the San Antonio Spurs down three games to two, and on the brink of elimination. But that didn’t stop the DUBNation from filling up the Oracle Arena [...]

Bocce Scores 5-16-13

Bocce Week 3 May 11 2013 Gazzette Week 3 May 11 2013 Gazette

Arts & Entertainment

All laughs in DVC’s ‘All in the Timing’

A date explored in every direction dictated by the ring of a bell, monkeys attempting to write Hamlet, a lonely girl with a speech problem and a wacky professor who made up a universal language, a psychedelic and manically musical purchase of a loaf of bread, stuck in parallel Philadelphia, and the many deaths of [...]

Star Trek: Boldly taking the series to what it was before!

Star Trek: Boldly taking the series to what it was before!

Back in 2009, director J. J. Abrams boldly took the Star Trek franchise where it had never been before, at least not in a long time, and that was a wildly successful reboot. Abrams was able to capture the great sense of adventure and spectacle and plenty of nods to the original films and series [...]

Bottle Rock festival hits Napa

Bottle Rock festival hits Napa

With bands like the Black Keys, Zac Brown Band and Kings of Leon headlining the five-day festival in Napa Valley why wouldn’t you give the first year festival a chance. The festival, which will be held at Napa Expo, is just a couple blocks away from down town Napa, so before you go in or [...]

California Roots rolls into Monterey

California Roots rolls into Monterey

Monterey, one of the most iconic locations in California is hosting the California Roots festival, the music and arts festival is held over Memorial Day weekend, May 24 through 26 at the Monterey Fair Grounds. “This is one of the most legendary and beautiful venues in California,” said Dan Sheehan one of the producers for [...]

Home & Garden

Just a rocking chair

Just a rocking chair

hoo! The Peddler’s Faire is coming this Saturday! I can hardly wait. Main Street will be lined on both sides with stalls filled with a huge assortment of antiques, porcelain, glassware, furniture, pottery, toys, and much more. In addition to the collectibles and antiques, over 50 arts and crafts vendors will be there. Bonus! Many [...]

Pat English shares strata recipe

It’s brunch season! With the many events that we celebrate in the spring, Mother’s Day, graduations, baby and bridal showers, what a good reason the have a brunch. This is my go-to recipe for brunch. It is much like a quiche, but so much simpler, with the added benefit of preparing the dish the night [...]

Curry a little flavor for pea soup

This smooth soup has a delicate, mild flavor. Add a salad of mixed spring greens and fresh crispy bread and you have a lovely light supper. Enjoy! Curried Fresh Pea Soup 3 tablespoons butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 onions, cut into 1/4 ” slices 2 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 ” slices 2 medium [...]

A very pleasant weekend

A very pleasant weekend

It’s not often Jeff and I get to visit in person with our kids now that they are fully grown. All three have jobs that let them travel around the globe, so we appreciate it when they come home for however much time we can get. Thank goodness for email, texting, Skype, snail mail and [...]

History

This week in history: 5/5/13

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: 4-28-13

This week in history: 4-28-13

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 [...]

Celebrating history …

Celebrating history …

New doors open for Historical Society

New doors open for Historical Society

Approximately four and a half months since moving to its new headquarters on 724 Escobar St., the Contra Costa Historical Society will host its grand opening to the public on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Group tours of the new facilities will be available to interested parties, as well as refreshments [...]

Opinion

Column 1: Main Street parking

Column 1: Main Street parking

By BILL SHARKEY III Gazette Columnist NUMBER 100! As I tootle along each week trying to provide something of varied interests, the time has flown by. I suddenly realized last week that number 100 was due up next. In my editor days in the early 1960s, I did a column every issue, five days a week. Some [...]

Keeping the Faith: Choose to be happy

Keeping the Faith: Choose to be happy

“There is something rotten in the state of Denmark.” That is a centuries old phrase from William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, “Hamlet.” Going back to your high school English class, you might remember that strange things were indeed going on in Hamlet’s world. His father, the Danish king, had been murdered. His uncle was behind the conspiracy [...]

Column One: Welcome home, Herns

Column One: Welcome home, Herns

WELCOME HOME, HERNS! Please add us to the ever-growing list of well-wishers and supporters who are so happy to see you back home. Seeing family photos in the newspaper and knowing that “things” are getting better is such good news for all of Martinez. Bless you all. GERONIMO TWO took place April 27 as our [...]

‘Individuals are taking advantage …’

Dear Editor, It is not in my nature to complain but there are events that happen that are unjust and wrong and the same people continue to profit from it. I’m going to go out on a limb and risk written persecution by insecure individuals that are taking advantage of an organization that is supposed [...]