General News
Shenkman clients Sanchez, Noonan sue city, say districts lines violate election code
Two Martinez residents, represented by the same Malibu attorney firm that threatened to sue the city if it didn’t abandon at-large elections, have filed a suit claiming the Council-adopted districts violate the election code. Plaintiffs Felix Sanchez and Nancy Noonan also accuse 100 unnamed defendants in the suit, which says those individuals have violated the […]
Council to hear economic plan update
Martinez City Council will hear an update tonight on the first phase of the Economic Development Action Plan (EDAP) as well as information about the next two phases of the program. Zach Seal, Economic Development coordinator, wrote in his report that both the General Plan and the Downtown Specific Plan emphasize the importance of economic […]
Lawsuit against City of Martinez (copy of document)
Malibu-based attorney Kevin Shenkman has filed a lawsuit against the city of Martinez. A copy of the suit is below. Shenkman previously threatened Martinez with a lawsuit alleging the city was in violation of the California Voting Rights Act. As a result the city adopted a by-district voting system. The Gazette will have full coverage […]
MUSD to vote on CSEA contract, Sandy Hook Promise agreement
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Martinez Unified School District Board of Education may vote Monday to ratify its contract with its chapter of the California School Employees Association (CSEA). It’s also scheduled to vote on a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sandy Hook Promise for the third segment of its school safety system and to hear about […]
Measure D sales tax paving projects underway
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Motorists in Martinez may be noticing more signs announcing a Measure D road repair project is underway, according to an announcement released by Rica Guidry, Martinez’s executive assistant to the city manager. Measure D, approved by voters in 2016, is the half-cent sales and transaction tax that raises money exclusively for maintenance […]
Community Focus
A Pointed Explanation
I made an origami market bag last week just for fun. My friends Cathy and Jann came over to my house and we had a lovely time sewing together. Cathy found the bag at a craft fair and wanted to duplicate it. “The lady selling the bags told me how to make them.” Cathy explained. […]
Adopt a Pet, Nov. 11, 2018
These pets are available for adoption from Contra Costa County Animal Services. They are available at http://petharbor.com. Tango (Petharbor ID No. A0914234) is one of the stars of the Contra Costa County Animal Services Running Dog Team. She would love to have a new home to call her own. She just ran a 10K race […]
Bowl for fun and profit
AAUW (American Association of University Women) will hold a Bowling Blast event on Saturday, November 17, 2018, at the Paddock Bowl at 5915 Pacheco Boulevard in Pacheco. Each team will have four players (with one alternate if needed). Each player pays $25.00. Family teams are encouraged. Single players can register and will be assigned to […]
Bocce birthday
Sante Cerri celebrated his 99th birthday with a day of bocce. Surrounded by freinds at the Bocce Courts, Cerri spent the day doing what he loves.
Park it by Ned MacKay: Closing a Bay Trail gap
Construction is planned to close one of the largest remaining gaps in a trail that when completed will encircle all of San Francisco Bay. The project will extend the existing trail for one mile between Buchanan and Gilman Streets west of Golden Gate Fields in Albany and Berkeley. The trail section will be constructed on […]
History
Our Town: A city without a city hall
By CHARLENE PERRY Reprinted from January 1985 Editor’s Note: Due to the pressures of time, energy and upcoming knee surgery, this writer will return from time to time to reaching into the treasure chest of Charlene Perry’s well-researched columns from the 1980s and 90s. This piece, from 1985, will be the introduction to a forthcoming […]
Our Town: Celebrating Martinez’s movie fame
By HARRIETT BURT Martinez News-Gazette Contributor CARTER WILSON Martinez Historical Society Photographer Last week this writer thought she’d written the last story about Tucker: The Man and His Dream but then Carter Wilson, photographer of homes on the annual Martinez Historical Society Home Tour, brought over a handful of images of the Saturday’s film party […]
Our Town: Tucker movie true to creator’s past
By HARRIETT BURT Martinez News-Gazette Contributor The special screening of the restored Francis Ford Coppola film, “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” will be held Saturday, August 11 at the Shell Club House. Doors open at 6 for hearty hors d’ oeuvres and a silent auction and the screening will begin at 8 p.m. James […]
Our Town: Semple of Benicia, Smith of Martinez, Alike in many ways
By HARRIETT BURT Martinez News-Gazette Contributor Editor’s Note: This is the second part of an article about Robert Semple of Kentucky, the founder of Benicia, who made it possible for another ambitious American from Georgia to found Martinez. Written some years ago for the MHS Newsletter by the late John Bonnell who, in retirement, used […]
Our Town Special Event: “Tucker: The Man and the Automobile” returns to town 30 years later to benefit MHS
By HARRIETT BURT Martinez News-Gazette Contributor Editor’s note: A showing of the recently restored Francis Ford Coppola film “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” is scheduled for Saturday, August 11, 2018 at the Shell Club House. The benefit for the Martinez Historical Society will take place starting at 6 p.m. A small portion of the […]
Sports
Cal’s Defense Dominates Trojans. Photo Gallery
Photos by Guri Dhaliwal (Martinez News-Gazette) Los Angeles: Cal defense dominates USC Saturday night. Cal beat USC 15-14.
Raiders drop to 1-8 after loss to Chargers
Photos by Tod Fierner (Martinez News-Gazette) The 7-2 San Diego Chargers beat the 1-8 Oakland Raiders. 20-6.
Warriors take down Grizzlies 117-101 (photo gallery)
Photos by Gerome Wright (Martines News-Gazette)
49ers beat up Raiders 34-3 (photo gallery)
Photos by Gerome Wright (Martinez News-Gazette) Will Thursday night be remembered as Nick Mullens’ coming-out party? Let’s not go that far yet, but Mullens defied expectations and put on a show in his first NFL game, leading the 49ers to a 34-3 dismantling of the Raiders on “Thursday Night Football.” Mullens got off to a […]
Opinion
Column 1: While the nation scanned the results
By BILL SHARKEY III Martinez News-Gazette Columnist WHILE THE NATION scanned the results from Senate and House races, along with statewide races, our community was waking up to local results, the most surprising for many being the apparent upset of Councilmember Debbie McKillop by John Stevens, a political newcomer. The difference in the tally of […]
Residents sound off on ice rink cancellation
Here are some selected readers comments regarding the news of the ice rink cancellation taken from Facebook. Mary Ewart: We wouldn’t be in shopping and eating around the Holidays in downtown Martinez if it weren’t for the rink! We got season passes and ate at the Starbucks, Thai food, the BBQ place, and so on […]
Column 1: Despite everything
By BILL SHARKEY III Martinez News-Gazette Columnist “DESPITE EVERYTHING, I believe that people are really good at heart.” These words from someone in history. A young woman known to the world as Anne Frank. A young woman of World War Two history who became an international heroine and literary figure. The quote of the day […]
Letter to the Editor: Pine Meadow going before court
Dear Editor, The Friends of Pine Meadow lawsuit to overturn the City council’s “rewrite history” decision that changed Pine Meadow from open space to residential is finally going to be heard by Contra Costa Superior Court. On January 19, 2017 the City Council voted that the 43 year old open space designation for Pine Meadow […]
Letter to the Editor: Support Martinez police officers by voting Yes on Measure X
This November, the citizens of Martinez will be given the opportunity to partner and aid in sustaining the future of the Martinez Police Department by weighing in on Measure X. Measure X means securing retention of our current quality Martinez Police Officers as well as proactively recruiting future quality police personnel. We know what is […]
Arts & Entertainment
Festival of Altars celebration honors Dia de Los Muertos
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Sugar skulls, cigar-box nichos, large displays and a plaza filled with dancers turned Main Street into a Central American festival Saturday during the Dia de Los Muertos Festival of Altars. Under spreading black wings, which gained paper feathers decorated in colored chalk by children, residents set up small remembrances of lost loved […]
Thornton Wilder’s classic comedy delights at the Campbell
By SCOTT BABA Arts and Entertainment Editor Thornton Wilder’s “The Matchmaker,” now playing at the Campball Theater in Martinez, defies simple definition. It would be completely fair to label the play as a farce – it is, after all, extraordinarily farcical, with slapstick, confused identities, ridiculously unlikely coincidences and a brief moment of low-grade accidental […]
Art passages gallery show illustrates importance of early child care
MARTINEZ, Calif. – A free exhibit of art by children and photographs of community-based child care centers is designed to show the availability of early child care programs in Contra Costa County. The show is the collaboration of the Arts & Culture Commission of Contra Costa County (ACS) and the Contra Costa County Community Services […]
Artist’s beaver mural attracts attention
MARTINEZ, Calif. – When artist Tim Hon made his first stroll of Martinez’s downtown area a few years ago, he was impressed. Little did he know the walk would lead to his creating a popular mural on the side of one of its businesses. And the owner of the business that bears the mural hopes […]
Martinez Arts Association’s Art in the Park Aug. 19
MARTINEZ, Calif. – More than 50 artists are expected to exhibit their paintings, sculptures and other works in Susana Park Aug. 19 in the 49th annual Martinez Arts Association Art in the Park show. More than an art show, this event also is the Martinez Arts Association’s largest fundraiser for the its goal of encouraging […]
