Write Away: Pop goes the baby
By Kirstin Odegaard
MY WATER BROKE AT CHUCK E. CHEESE’S.
When I tell people that was the first time I’d been to Chuck E. Cheese’s since I was about 6, no one believes me. Everyone immediately assumes I own a time share there. But it was the first time. Really, it was.
I’d started having contractions the night before. They were uncomfortable, but not debilitating, so I figured I still had time — especially since I wanted to labor at home as long as possible. My husband wanted to hurry to the hospital, but I was calm and relaxed. No need to rush, I insisted. We let Colin finish his game, cash in his twenty dollars’ worth of coupons, and pick a prize that was worth approximately 18 cents. Read the rest of this entry »
In Yountville, VOENA continues to inspire
VOENA MEMBERS performed their “Voices of the River” concert in Napa on Saturday.
Diana Braulik photos
Review by Elizabeth Warnimont
Special to The Herald
Benicia-based children’s choral group VOENA (“Voices of Eve ‘N Angels”) has experienced phenomenal growth over the past year, winning worldwide recognition with its performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics along with a few national tour spots, in addition to maintaining a schedule of local performances at Bay Area venues including the Napa Valley Opera House, the Empress Theatre in Vallejo and Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park. VOENA also added a Santa Rosa teaching site last spring, which immediately added 30 new members to the roster.
Despite its rapid growth, VOENA remains an exciting and inspirational group that does not fail to put on consistently polished, unique and moving performances. Last Saturday’s “Voices of the River” concert at the Lincoln Theatre in Yountville was the first stage performance for its new Santa Rosa members and included the recently formed percussion section “Voices of Rhythm” and CREAVO (“Cre-ay-vo”), a group of VOENA’s most advanced vocalists. Read the rest of this entry »
Citizens Police Academy: Tactical efforts take a team
CITY COUNCILMEMBER Alan Schwartzman, center, and another Citizens Police Academy participant look on as Benicia police Cpl. Mark Menesini describes a sniper rifle, part of the equipment used by SWAT team members.
Donna Beth Weilenman/Staff
By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter
In a hostage situation, in dealing with someone who appears suicidal, or with someone who is barricaded in a building, Benicia police may deploy its Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT, team. But such situations call for the services of tactical dispatchers and hostage negotiators, too.
The three specialty teams work together, and with other agencies as well, to end a situation as peacefully as possible. And they’re on call 24 hours a day, members of the Benicia Citizens Police Academy learned Thursday. Read the rest of this entry »
New Additions to a Devil’s Dictionary: Wit and wisdom of G.B. Shaw
By Richard Lubin
GEORGE BERNARD SHAW (July 26, 1856 – Nov. 2, 1950) was an Irish playwright and an ardent socialist. He wrote more than 60 plays and worked tirelessly for the working class. He is reputed to have asked a high-born lady if she would go to bed with a gentleman for a million pounds. She replied that she thought she might. He asked if she would do it for ten pounds. “What do you think I am, a prostitute?” He said, “We have already established that; now we are just determining the price.”
Here is more of what he had to say.
“A Native-American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: ‘Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time.’ When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, ‘The one I feed the most.’” Read the rest of this entry »
Benicia: Art town USA
EIGHTY-FIVE ARTISTS gathered May 5 outside Arts Benicia for this photograph by Michael Van Auken.
Photographer gathers dozens of city’s artists for historic shot
By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter
BACK IN 1958, A FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER, Art Kane, shooting for Esquire magazine, captured one of the most famous images in music history. Kane’s portrait of jazz musicians assembled at 17 East 126th Street in Harlem was so iconic, it even inspired a 1994 documentary, “A Great Day in Harlem.”
That photo was one of Michael Van Auken’s inspirations when he decided to do something similar here in Benicia, using Open Studios artists as his subjects.
A photographer for 30 years, the last four for his own company, Van Auken has long been intrigued by other pictorial assemblies: those that recorded a certain time, place and gathering in history, from group photographs of Hollywood studios’ stars to those of lesser-known parties.
“There are old photographs of railroad workers and miners from 100 years ago,” he said. “They’re inspirational, too.” Read the rest of this entry »
CBO: May Revise doesn’t brighten district funding prospects
GOOD DEED: Stan and Marianne Houston, with Mayor Elizabeth Patterson, left, were honored by the Benicia Unified School District Board of Trustees on Thursday for contributing more than $100,000 over five years to BUSD music programs.
Kevin Denton photos
By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor
Chief Business Official Tim Rahill on Thursday outlined a preview of Gov. Jerry Brown’s May Budget Revise and what it may mean for Benicia Unified School District.
Speaking to district trustees, Rahill said, “We’ve got some some information on how that will impact schools, and we’ll find out many more details on Monday when we go to Sacramento for the State budget workshop.”
As far as ongoing funding, he said, the outlook for the financial impact on the district hasn’t changed much. Read the rest of this entry »
Library bond bill clears state Senate committee
By Donna Beth Weilenman
Staff Reporter
Legislation by State Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, that would let voters decide whether to lower the approval threshold for library bonds has cleared the Senate Governance and Finance Committee 5-2.
Benicia Public Library staff are watching the bill’s progress, because it could impact bond measures in the city library’s future, said Helaine Bowles, outreach/volunteer coordinator. Read the rest of this entry »
