Annual Downtown Spring Cleanup Saturday
Volunteers are being asked to meet in the downtown Martinez area May 4 to clean up the shopping district.
They’ll be power-washing the sidewalks, picking up trash, raking leaves and pulling weeds. In a reward for their effort, the volunteers will be treated to coffee, juice and doughnuts in the morning and a barbecue lunch at 11:30 a.m.
Children with a parent or guardian may participate.
Shifts may start as early at 6 a.m., although many will start at 9 a.m. Saturday Those interested in participating may email director@mainstreetmartinez.com.
Paper Shredding At AHS Saturday
Martinez Rotary is sponsoring a Community Paper Shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at Alhambra High School’s parking lot, 150 E St.
Cost is $6 for a legal-sized box of papers, with a 10-box maximum. Paper clips and staples don’t need to be removed, but no binders will be accepted.
Money raised through this project will be used for community needs.
Loubier Gourmet Becomes Sonoma Raceway’s Official Barbecue Sauce And Rubs
Sonoma Raceway, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year, has named Loubier Gourmet as its official barbecue sauce and rubs.
Loubier Gourmet is a family-owned, Benicia-based company, and will work with the raceway’s official caterer, Levy Restaurants, to create new, unique recipes with its signature sauces, including Loubier dry-rubbed beef brisket and barbecue pulled pork buns.
The new food products will be sold at select concession stands and will appear in hospitality menus at major events. During Toyota/Save Mart 350 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NHRA Sonoma Nationals Mello Yello Drag Racing Series race weekends, fans will be able to sample the gourmet sauces and rubs at display areas.
Michael Loubier founded Loubier Gourmet in 2016 after having 18 years of experience in the food industry. The company’s website is www.loubiergourmet.com.
MCE Opens 10th ‘Solar Charge’ Renewable Energy Charging Station
MCE, Martinez’s contracted electricity provider, and American Solar have opened MCE Solar Charge, to provide electric car drivers another public place to charge their vehicles using clean energy. This is the 10th community renewable energy project in MCE’s service area.
The community aggregate energy provider’s service area includes Contra Costa, Marin, Napa and Solano counties.
Sola Charge includes an 80 kW PV solar system that powers 10 Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations that are open to the public, along with two public ports that are accessible to the disabled.
Built by American Solar Corp., the project will generate about 120,000 kWh annually and will support up to 10 charging sessions at a time, according to the community utility’s announcement. MCE became partners with the Transportation Authority of Marin and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Charge! Program to underwrite the 10 electrical vehicle charging ports.
Solar Charge stations will receive 100 percent renewably-powered electricity either directly from the sun or through MCE’s Deep Green 100 percent renewable energy, half generated by California’s winds and the rest from the state’s solar sources.
With the completion of MCE Solar Charge, the community utility has funded and supported 644 electric vehicle charging ports, most of which are at workplaces and multi-unit dwellings.