General News
Park Commission to hear report on public safety issues
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Martinez Parks, Recreation, Marina and Cultural Commission will hear reports tonight on public safety and maintenance. Commissioners and residents described their concerns at the Commission’s April meeting, starting when one resident, Bill Nichols, told the panel during the public comment period, “I’m tired of stepping on needles.” He described seeing feces from […]
CORE teams striving to help homeless in Martinez
MARTINEZ, Calif. – In 2017, California had an estimated 134,278 homeless people living on its streets. That was about half of the homeless population in the entire United States. The same study showed that only New York came close to California, with 89,503 counted as homeless that year, said Jenny Robbins, housing and services administrator […]
Road closure …
Vine Hill Way was blocked in both directions Sunday afternoon after a large tree fell in the 700 block of that street. Crews arrived at around 4:00 p.m. and spent the next three hours clearing the roadway. City crews used power equipment, including the chipper, to process the branches into mulch for future use and […]
Martinez’s double ceremony honors fallen military
MARTINEZ, Calif. – In keeping with the city’s longtime custom, Martinez will have a two-part Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 28, to acknowledge the sacrifice of those who have died in military service. Ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. that day at the Alhambra Cemetery, on Carquinez Drive, with a benediction, placing of a wreath and […]
Planning commission approves Pine Meadow development documents
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Martinez Planning Commission has approved unanimously both the mitigated negative declaration and the vesting tentative map for a proposed development to be built on the former Pine Meadow Golf Course. “That’s it. The project is approved,” said Christina Ratcliffe, Martinez Community and Economic Development director. However, one the development’s opponent, Tim Platt, […]
Community Focus
Culinary Graduation …
Vicente-Briones High School students who have been participating in the Culinary School at Loaves and Fishes will be serving more than 100 meals at 4 p.m. today to clients of the service that provides meals to the hungry. The students’ graduation will take place at 4 p.m. Thursday at Loaves and Fishes, 835 Ferry St. […]
At Home With Jeff: What’s my line?
By JEFF ROUBAL Martinez News-Gazette Contributor A friend at the American Legion asked me last week to update his telephone number on the membership list. He and his wife had just disconnected their home phone permanently. From now on, they will be using their cell phones exclusively while away and while at home. I was […]
Unusual trash, correct tarping to be shown Thursday
MARTINEZ, Calif. – Caltrans District 4 will have peculiar and unusual trash item on display Thursday during its “Protect Every Drop” education campaign, and officials will demonstrate how to tarp hauled materials so they don’t escape. The District wants to impress upon residents how items can impact local waterways, and will have some of the […]
Martinez scholars among county’s 2018 Student Leaders of the Year
U.S. Rep Mike Thompson, Kate Wohlford, Juliet Stephenson, Harmony Soffe, and Phoebe Tang. Several Alhambra High School students are among those chosen the 2018 Student leaders of the Year for Contra Costa County, U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson has announced. Among the six chosen for the recognition are Juliet Stephenson, Harmony Soffer, Phebe Tang and Kate […]
Martinez Business Beat, May 23, 2018
Thursday Is Red Nose Charity Day At Walgreens Don’t laugh at anyone wearing a red clown nose Thursday. Walgreens is selling the bright accessory to raise money for children who are living in difficult situations. Red Nose Day is a fundraising campaign run by the nonprofit organization Comic Relief Inc., a registered charity, and it […]
History
Martinez’s short-lived railroad club kept SP 1258 in town
MARTINEZ, Calif. – A majestic black steam locomotive, Southern Pacific 1258, sits prominently in Martinez Waterfront Park, and is a landmark for those arriving at the local Amtrak station. Many longtime residents remember playing on the locomotive when it sat at Rankin Park. But at one time, the city considered letting go its own locomotive, […]
Underground Echoes: A froggy morning at Potter’s Field
By JOSEPH & JUDIE PALMER Special to the Gazette Ordinarily this column would begin where we left off with Aaron Rice’s story; however Saturday May 12, marked the restart of our Potter’s Field Restoration Project (PFRP) during the Alhambra Cemetery Spring Cleanup for 2018. We last wrote about it this past October. In it we […]
Our Town: The Italian fisher community comes alive again
By HARRIETT BURT Martinez News-Gazette Contributor Editor’s Note: Once again a planned column topic had to be postponed for what could be called breaking history news, the Italian American Studies Association (IASA) tour of Martinez Italian fisher family communities in the late 19th and 20th centuries at Granger’s Wharf and on “Island Hill” overlooking it. […]
IASA: There’s often more to the story than we know
By HARRIETT BURT Martinez Gazette Contributor Last Sunday’s historic tour of the Italian fishing community in the late 19th and first half of the 20th century was sponsored by a group unfamiliar to this writer – the Italian American Studies Association. Founded in 1966 by a group of historians, educators, sociologists and other interested persons, […]
Underground Echoes: Aaron Rice (1819 – 1906) – Probate 101
By JOSEPH & JUDIE PALMER Special to the Gazette From our last column, we wrote about Aaron’s horrible heartbreak with the loss of his entire family outside of his son Nathaniel in less than a year. It started with the death of his father Rev. Robert Rice (75) on March 20, 1875 from dropsy. Followed […]
Sports
A’s Mengden Throws Two Hit Shut Out
Oakland Athletics Daniel Mengden throws complete game. Mengden allowed just two hits no runs no base on ball and 5 K’s in 9 innings. Versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. The A’s beat the D-Backs 3-0. Photos by Tod Fierner Martinez News-Gazette
Warriors blast Rockets 115-86
Force a Game 7 Monday in Houston By Felicia D. Purcell Contributor to Martinez News Gazette After an excruciating loss Thursday in Houston Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was seen smiling. When asked about his smile he stated he was smiling because he knows what his team can bring. “They have the momentum, now it’s […]
A’s ‘Pen Gets Job Done
Backed by a four-run first inning against King Felix the A’s pieced together a tidy bullpen day to edge the Mariners, 4-3, and avoid a three-game sweep at the Coliseum on Thursday afternoon. The A’s trotted out five relievers opposite Hernandez, beginning with righty Josh Lucas who allowed two runs on three hits and three […]
Warriors fall to Rockets 95-92, series tied 2-2
By Felicia D. Purcell Martinez News-Gazette Coming into Tuesdays game Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said he hadn’t had too many pressure games this year. He also called his team ‘soft’ after a 41-point blow-up last Sunday. The pressure was on full tilt and the Rockets played anything but soft on Tuesday snapping the Warriors […]
Opinion
Check facts before voting on Measures
As a counterpoint to Debbie McKillop’s letter to the editor, I’d like to offer the following. Like Debbie, I encourage you to research the issues surrounding Measure I and Measure F and make a reasoned decision. Let me give a quick explanation of Measure I. Measure I offers the voters of Martinez the chance to […]
Letter was hypocritical
I find the letter I received from the organization ‘Martinez Citizens for yes on Measure F and no on Measure’ – signed by Martinez City Council members Rob Schroder, Noralea Gipner and Debbie McKillop – extremely hypocritical Else, how do you explain starting a letter with, “We are writing as citizens of Martinez and not […]
Council trying to trick voters
Dear Editor, The City Council has created a lot of confusion around Measure I and private property rights…and that was their goal. We believe Martinez voters will not be tricked. We also believe the most important issue is to allay the fears of the 550 property owners the Council has targeted with their misleading City […]
Column 1: Civility
By BILL SHARKEY III Martinez News-Gazette Columnist CIVILITY, a key to the image and reputation of our great nation since the earliest of times, has sunk to the lowest level ever under the ‘guidance’ of the least civil leadership and administration ever. The leading historians of our time tell us with no restraints that we’ve […]
Letter to the Editor: To ‘F’ or to ‘I’…that is the question
Before you cast your vote on the two Private Property and open space measures on the June 5th, 2018 ballot, be sure you have all the facts. Information is out there for you to explore and it can be found in your Voter Information Guide pages CC 021-040 to CC 021-56. Information is also available […]
Arts & Entertainment
Martinez designer-entertainer returning home for book signing
MARTINEZ, Calif. – A Martinez native whose career has made him a widely recognized decorator is coming home next month to celebrate the publication of his second book. But Nathan Turner, who is known for his appearances on Bravo’s cable program “Million Dollar Decorators,” didn’t write about designing or how to make a home more […]
Collection of romantic comedy one-act plays at Campbell
By SCOTT BABA Art and Entertainment Editor Onstage Theater closes out its 40th season this month with “A Funny Little Thing Called Love” at the Campbell Theater, a series of one-act plays written by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, the writing trio that is sometimes collectively know as Jones Hope Wooten. Jones Hope […]
BottleRock’n Napa Valley
by Steve Langsam For the sixth straight year Napa Valley is prepared to rock with over 86 musical acts filling the airwaves of the Napa Valley Expo for BottleRock May 25th through May 26th. This year features some of the best acts the festival has had including The Killers, Muse, Bruno Mars, The Chain Smokers, […]
Salvaged plastics become art, not ocean trash
A giant patch of garbage that covers twice the area of Texas is growing exponentially in the Pacific Ocean between Hawai’i and California, according to Scientific Reports. And much of the debris are tiny pieces of plastic, which is why the patch wasn’t discovered until 1997 by yachtsman Charles Moore when he sailed through the […]
