Thursday, March 31, 2016

Eight finalists chosen for Dixon May Fair's Battle of the Bands

 (Originally published in the 3/31/16 edition)

  The Dixon May Fair will be holding its first Battle of the Bands since 1977 and will feature some of the most promising bands in the Solano/Yolo/Sacramento area.
   After sifting through many demos from various entires, fair officials were able to settle on eight groups. The lucky artists to be selected were Sacramento alternative rock band Average League, Sacramento indie rock group Epsilona, Folsom hard rock band Heat of Damage, Davis Americana group The Nickel Slots, Vacaville alternative hard rock band They Went Ghost, Auburn avant garde indie rock group Trikome, Galt alternative rock band Some Fear None and Elk Grove alternative hard rock group Screwloose.
   “It is truly amazing the caliber of bands that entered the competition,” Fair CEO Patricia Conklin said in a statement. “We have bands that have been recognized with awards, opened for national recording artists and offer unique new sounds and exceptional vocals.”
   All bands will be performing on Friday, May 6 starting at 6 p.m. on the Picnic Stage. The winner will receive a $3,000 grand prize and will be automatically entered into the finals of the San Diego Battle of the Bands to be held in June. They will also receive a $2,000 travel stipend to compete in San Diego and a spot in the California State Fair to be held in Sacramento in July.

   The Dixon May Fair will be held from Thursday, May 5 to Sunday, May 8 at the Dixon Fairgrounds, located at 655 S First St. Other performers will include country singer Buck Ford, Beatles tribute band Hey Jude and “The Voice” contestant Lyndey Elm. There will also be a car show, a junior dog show, a demolition derby, a tractor pull and much more. For information on tickets, visit DixonMayFair.com.  

Benicia Police Department to host meet and greet at Matthew Turner

(Originally published in the 4/1/16 edition)

   As part of Police Chief Erik Upson’s continuing efforts to strengthen community engagement, the Benicia Police Department will be hosting a meet and greet Tuesday, April 12, at Matthew Turner Elementary. 
   “This is Chief Upson’s strategy for community members to be introduced and get to know the officers that patrol their neighborhoods, especially newer officers recently hired,” Lt. Scott Przekurat said. “(It’s) a chance for officers and community members to come together in a social and friendly atmosphere.”
   The event will have presentation stations set up to cover topics like the neighborhood watch program, using online crime mapping and understanding the proper use of force. There will also be a Q&A session on the department’s Facebook page, which was established in December, and its Twitter account, which was launched on March 10. 
   “We will talk about the direction of the department, cover some general topics such as recent crime and crime trends, then respond to community concerns,” Przekurat said.  “Mostly it’s just an opportunity to have new officers meet community members, and community members get to know their department better.”
   Przekurat hopes that Benicia residents gain a better understanding of the hard work that police officers put in.
   “We want community members to get to know their police officers and understand what Benicia police officers do day in and day out for our community,” he said. “Community meet and greets such as this are a great way to enhance public trust between community members and the police.”

   The Benicia Police Department Community Meet and Greet will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, April 12, in the Multi Purpose Room at Matthew Turner Elementary, located on 540 Rose Drive. The event is free and open to the public. Benicia Police Department’s Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/Benicia-Police-Department and on Twitter under the handle @bpdsocialmedia. 

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Local journalist to discuss California's first poet laureate at Fairfield Library

(Originally published in the 3/30/16 edition)

   In honor of National Poetry Month, Bay Area journalist Aleta George will be at the Fairfield Cordelia Library to discuss her new book “Ina Coolbrith: The Bittersweet Song of California's First Poet Laureate.”
   George, who has written for the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times, has read passages from her book in several Bay Area locations and even promoted it on C-SPAN. 
   The book talks about the life of Coolbrith, who was named as the first poet laureate of California during the Panama-Pacific International Expansion in 1915 as well as the first poet laureate of any state in America. She was born in Nauvoo, Ill. as the daughter of Don Carlos Smith, the youngest brother of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith. Coolbrith's views were rather progressive, as she fought gender discrimination in the workplace and even flirted with the idea of same-sex marriage, according to George.
   Coolbrith also had a respectable career as Oakland's first public librarian where she mentored a young Jack London. Additionally, she befriended John Muir and Mark Twain and continued writing poetry until her death in 1928.

   The discussion will take place at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 12 at the Fairfield Cordelia Library, located at 5050 Business Center Drive in Fairfield. For more information, call 1-866-572-7587 or visit SolanoLibrary.com.

Rep. Mike Thompson to speak on Social Security bill today at Benicia Senior Center

(Originally published in the 3/30/16 edition)

    U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) will be hosting a town 
hall meeting today at the Benicia Senior Center today to discuss the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 1391), which he was one of the original co-sponsors of. The bill's sponsor, Rep. John Larson (D-CT) will also be speaking.  
   H.R. 1391 was introduced to the House on March 17, 2015 and aims to provide an increase in benefits to current and future Social Security beneficiaries and cut taxes for its recipients. It also would amend Title II of the Social Security Act to increase the primary insurance amount formula factor from 90 to 93 percent of all beneficiaries, revise how cost-of-living adjustments are calculated using the Consumer Price Index and increase the minimum primary insurance amount for lifetime low earners based on years in the workforce. It would also raise the gross income threshold for the taxation of Social Security benefits from $25,000 to $50,000 for single taxpayers and from $32,000 to $100,000 for married taxpayers who file joint returns.
   Thompson, who represents Benicia in the House, will be speaking alongside Larson on the progress of the bill in Congress. Afterwards, they will take questions from attendees. Elizabeth Charles, the operations supervisor of the Social Security Administration's Vallejo office, will also be on hand to answer questions.
   The town hall meeting will take place 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. today at the Benicia Senior Center, located at 187 East L St. For more information, call the center at (707) 745-1202

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Former Benicia High athlete and teacher authors book about undefeated team

(Originally published in the 3/29/16 edition)

   For many athletes, playing on high school sports teams is where their dreams begin to come into fruition. They play their hearts out in front of large crowds, and if they play well they become hometown heroes. It is the springboard to getting drafted into college teams, then the major leagues and possibly a shot at a championship.
   It is this early excitement that author James Garrett captures in his newest book, “One Great Season 9-0!”
   Garrett, a 1961 graduate of Benicia High School who also taught history, science and philosophy there for 27 years, has published three books: “Benicia and Letters of Love,” “The Mansion Stories” and “Chief Salt.” For his fourth book, Garrett chose to tell the story of an undefeated football team from a small town high school in the early ‘60s. It is a subject Garrett knows plenty about. After all, he played for the Panthers when he attended Benicia High. 
   “I think the novel could be called historical fiction,” Garrett said. “For example, the first line in a paragraph may be exactly historically correct, and the remainder of the paragraph be totally from my imagination. I took thoughts of when I played football at Benicia High School, and changed, mixed and re-arranged things to tell the story. Everyone in the novel is a composite of people I have known.”
   “One Great Season 9-0!” tells the story of the fictional Homestead High School Mavericks varsity football team who manage to notch a perfect nine-game season in the fall of 1960. This captures the attention of a retired former sports editor for the Heritage News who writes a series of six articles about the undefeated team.
   The book is 96 pages long and is stylized to resemble a collection of newspaper clippings.
   “like that unique touch and connection,” Garrett said. “It gives the book a scrapbook feeling, part of the going back in time. It is part of my attempt at preserving (and) recreating history, not living in the past.”
   Fittingly, the book is dedicated to Bob Silva, a former sports editor and editor-in-chief of the Benicia Herald.
   As with his previous books, Garrett and his wife Roberta opted to have the book put out by online self-publishing company Outskirts Press Publishing rather than the traditional route.
   “A few years back I stopped dealing with the regular publishing process because my books would not be allowed to be published as I wished,” he said. “I wanted the freedom of creativity. ”
   Garrett is proud of all the work that went into the book, especially his capturing of an era.
   “I'm proud of the fact I believe I have allowed people to return to another place in time which they either personally experienced, regret not being part of or of which they have nostalgic thoughts,” he said. “Creating a season of nine games as realistically as possible, including statistics, is something that gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
   Garrett says his book is sure to instill feelings of warmth to people who can connect to small town athletics. 
   “Many people across the United States enjoy high school football,” he said. “Many relate to another time, a simpler time. Many of those people reside here in Benicia. They played on Sanborn Field, the inspirational site of the fictional Homestead Field. If not, maybe their predecessors, or later their children did.”
   “I hope the readers take away a warm feeling from their reading of the book and that they return to it from time-to-time,” he said.

   “One Great season 9-0!” is available for purchase at OutskirtsPress.net/OneGreatSeason9_0. Physical copies can be purchased from Amazon and BarnesAndNoble.com, and an e-book can be downloaded from OutskirtsPress.net

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Gallery 621 artists put spin on spring in new exhibit

(Originally published in the 3/27/16 edition)

   Ah, spring. It is a season that provides a respite from the winter chill while giving people a moment of relief before the hot summer weather. Spring also is the time of year in which nature comes alive in the most bright and colorful ways imaginable.
   The colorful tones of spring lend themselves nicely for artists’ interpretations- and that is just what the artists of Gallery 621 have done in its new exhibit. 
   Starting April 7, the First Street art gallery will be presenting “Spring Offering,” a showcase of all its members interpretations of the vernal season. This is the first time Gallery 621 has done a spring show, and it comes just a few months after “Rain: Art Inspired by Winter,” in which artists interpreted the previous season. According to member Linda Stevenson Dunlop, this exhibit will coincide with Gallery 621’s reopening at its new location at 309 First St.
   “We’re going to continue with our reputation of having really exciting shows,” she said. “This will be a good launch for the new season.” 
   The exhibit will feature works by established member artists like Dunlop, Nikki Basch-Davis, Stephen Schumm, Shirley Hazlett, Robert Nelson, Lee Wilder Snider, Kathy Oja and Jerrold Turner and newer members like Lafayette artist Michael Dadasovich, New York-based artist Marjorie Lutz and Arts Benicia’s Cherry Moore. 
   “I’ll be having a large-scale iris pastel, which is quite unusual for me because usually I do abstract that’s more representational,” Dunlop said. 
   Additionally, Snider will be exhibiting paintings of outdoor scenes, Nelson will be showing 3-D work and Oja will have emotional and abstract floral work. 
   “I haven’t seen anything other than Kathy’s piece that we have on fliers,” Dunlop said. “But I know their work traditionally, so I’m very excited to see what they’re working on.”
   Overall, Stevenson believes the exhibit will be a good way to usher people into the new season.
   “This is a ‘Spring Offering’ show to launch everybody into feeling bright for the season and into summer and enjoy the springtime expression of who they are.”

   “Spring Offering” will run from Thursday, April 7 through Sunday, May 29 at Gallery 621, located at 309 First St. The hours are noon to 6 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays. A reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday, April 9. All exhibiting artists will be hosting a meet and greet, and sandwiches will be served. For more information, visit gallery621.com

Friday, March 25, 2016

Soroptimist International of Benicia honors local women in awards luncheon

  (Originally published in the 3/25/16 edition)

 Soroptimist International of Benicia held its awards luncheon Thursday to honor local women who have made a difference in the community.
   Founded in 1921, Soroptimist International is a volunteer service organization for professional women that contributes time and provides financial support to community-based projects that benefit women and girls. 
   Soroptimist International of Benicia was founded in 1976 and meets every Thursday at The First Baptist Church or Sprankle’s Deli with the goal of improving the lives of local women and girls through programs that deliver social and economic empowerment. The organization also holds a domestic violence vigil in October and is accepting funds to establish a Safe House in Benicia.
   The luncheon, held at Venticellos Ristorante Italiano, was well-attended by club and community members including Mayor Elizabeth Patterson. Awards were given to several local women who had worked to improve lives within the community. The Live Your Dream Award, which assists women who financially support their families by giving them the necessary resources to improve their education and employment goals, was given to Raquelmarie Clark who was also the winner within the district. Clark helps lay out the newsletter for the Benicia Moms Group and is an assistant office manager with the Benicia-based Plan-It Interactive.
   The Violet Richardson Award, given to teenage girls who are active volunteers, was given to Benicia High School senior Eliza Partika. Partika has been a teen volunteer with Benicia Public Library and is a secretary with Benicia High’s Soroptimist Club. Partika has received a $500 grant which she has chosen to donate to the Soroptimist Club’s Safe House project.
   Taking second and third place, respectively, for the Violet Richardson Award were Partika’s twin sister Enid and Liberty High School senior Kylie Lee-Wright. 
   The Ruby Award, given to women who have worked to improve the lives of females through professional or volunteer work, was bestowed upon Councilwoman Christina Strawbridge for her service on the City Council and fashion shows benefiting Soroptimist International.
   A Service Award was given to Bonnie Silveria for her 25 years with Soroptimist International of Benicia, and Police Chief Erik Upson was sworn in as a new member.

   For more information on the organization, visit SoroptimistOfBenicia.org

Police Chief Erik Upson (Center) is sworn in as a Soroptimist International of Benicia member. Member Nancy Martinez (Left) presented him with a pin, and Bobbi Enderlin (Right) gave him an introduction. Upson is the father of two daughters and has worked to hire more women at the Benicia Police Department (Photo by Nick Sestanovich)

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Carter's Biz Cafes to host TED Talks viewing party and discussion

(Originally published in the 3/24/16 edition)

   In recent years, TED Talks have become popular in several different circles. Put on by the nonprofit Sapling Foundation, TED Talks are 18-minute lectures delivered by speakers big and small on a variety of academic, technological, scientific and cultural topics. More than 2,400 talks are available on TED.com, and by November 2012, these videos had been watched more than 1 billion times worldwide. 
   No matter what your interests are, you are likely to find a talk on something you’re interested in. Carter’s Biz Cafes in conjunction with Benicia Literary Arts and the Carquinez Village Project will be presenting three of them Saturday for a free event in the Commanding Officer’s Quarters. 
   According to BLA event team member Carolyn Plath, the genesis for the event came from a conversation between her and Carter’s Biz Cafes owner Carter Rankin. 
   “We both appreciate the spirit of TED which is founded on sharing powerful and inspiring ideas,” Plath said. 
   This will be the first ever TED Talks event to be held in Benicia. Over the course of 90 minutes, attendees will view three different TED Talks videos with time allotted for discussion after each.
   The first presentation will be engineer and biophysicist Hugh Herr’s 2014 lecture “The New Bionics That Let us Run, Climb and Dance.” Herr lost both of his legs in a climbing accident 30 years ago but was given prosthetic limbs that enabled him to climb again. He is now the head of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Biomechatronics research group.
   A discussion facilitated by Plath will follow the screening. According to Plath, this video was chosen by Rankin.
   “I think he was dazzled by the stunning achievements in bionics that are designed and built from the premise that no one needs to be physically disabled anymore,” she said.
   Plath selected the second video to be shown, “The Clues to a Great Story” by Pixar director and screenwriter Andrew Stanton. Stanton has been involved with nearly every film in the acclaimed animation studio’s filmography, and he even won Academy Awards for his work on “Finding Nemo” and “Wall-E.” Stanton’s presentation on how to tell a good story will be followed by a discussion facilitated by Plath.
   “In Benicia Literary Arts, we are all about supporting writers, so storytelling is a natural match,” she said.
   The third and final video will be “Older People are Happier” by psychologist Laura Carstensen in which she explains how the longer people live, the greater their quality of life and outlook on life will be. The ensuing discussion will be facilitated by BLA President Lois Requist and Carquinez Village Project co-founder Judie Donaldson, both of whom selected the video. 
   “The more I'm involved with the aging community, the more positive things I realize about being my age,” Requist, whose Carquinez Village Project establishes a support network for seniors, said. “I'd like more people to be aware of that. How many times do you hear people say, ‘It's all downhill from here?’ Well, it isn’t!”
   Plath says that all three videos should be of interest to Benicia residents.
   “While each one is quite different from the other, all three are fascinating and uplifting,” she said.  “If you come to see a specific one, I believe you will enjoy all three.”
   “Attendees are sure to be entertained and inspired,” she said. “We also believe that the event itself, gathering in our beautiful and historic Commanding Officer's Quarters with other lifelong learners, will be memorable.”
   The event will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 26 at Carter’s Biz Cafes, located at 1 Commandant’s Lane. The event will be free, and light refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Plath at carolynplath2003@yahoo.com, Requist at loquuu@gmail.com, Rankin at  Carter@cartersbizcafes.com and Donaldson at judiedonaldson1@gmail.com
   
   

   

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Library to honor works of late Benicia artists

(Originally published in the 3/23/16 edition)

   The Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery will soon be filled with the works by two recently deceased Benicia artists who were valuable beacons to the community, not only as artists but also as educators. The exhibit will be titled “Recollection: A Gathering of Work by Katrina Van Male and Bonnie Weidel.”
   Exhibit curator Kathryn Weller Renfrow said the library gallery committee wanted to honor the works of these two artists.
   “Both of these artists were teachers of young people in Benicia, and I was the director of Arts Benicia for 15 years, so I knew both of them pretty well and I knew a lot of their students some of whom grew up to become artists,” she said. “They’re very indebted to these two people.”
   Weidel studied visual arts at the University of California, Berkeley and later picked up her masters degree in early childhood education at Sonoma State University. She taught private art classes to elementary schoolers and toddlers, founded Benicia Community Arts in 1980 and organized the Art in the Park event for many years. She also had a studio in the Arsenal and served as a member of Benicia Unified School District’s Governing Board from 2007 to 2011. Weidel died in April 2014 at the age of 84.
   Van Male graduated from the University of Denver and moved to Benicia in the late ‘60s. Van Male began doing sketches, wood prints and painting before moving on to clay. She mentored a lot of young Benicia artists with her unique approach to ceramics.
   “Katrina gave ceramic sculpture classes in her studio for many years,” Renfrow said. “Katrina was very brave and taught ceramics as an art medium rather than just making bowls. She tried to impart the idea of creating sculptures out of clay.”
   Van Male’s sculptures were inspired by indigenous cultures like the Inuit, and she often incorporated bones, sticks, shells and other natural materials. Some pieces were a few inches, while others were 6 feet tall. 
   “The large pieces are difficult to move and install, so we won’t have them in this show,” Renfrow said.
   Van Male was also both a student and an instructor at Solano Community College, where she taught ceramics. Van Male died in August 2015 at the age of 80.
    Renfrow said both artists have left a treasurable imprint on the community.
   “I’ve already shown people some of their work, and so many people knew them as teachers to their kids or as students themselves,” she said. “They didn’t really look at the work these two made. They were focused on what their kids were learning, not what their teachers were creating.”
   “Everyone’s full of gratitude for what they contributed to the community as teachers and what they’re leaving us as artists,” Renfrow added.

   “Recollection” will be on display from Saturday, April 2 to Sunday, May 8 at the library, located on 150 East L St. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays and noon to 6 p.m., Fridays through Sundays. A reception will be held 2 to 4:30 p.m., Sunday, April 2. For more information, call the library at (707) 746-4343.

"Lady with Big Collar" by Bonnie Weidel

"Untitled" by Katrina Van Male

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Rep. Mike Thompson's noodle dinner will feature civil rights icon

(Originally published in the 3/22/16 edition)


   Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) will be hosting an International Noodle Dinner in Vallejo as part of an effort to know the constituents of his district- or rather let the citizens of his district know him.
   “He just wants to be a face and for people to know who he is and feel comfortable reaching out to them, rather than some figurehead in Washington who doesn’t ever come back and you don’t really know,” Thompson’s campaign events coordinator Mary Jane Bowker said. “He is a real person who cares tremendously about his district.”
   Thompson, who also represents Benicia as part of California’s 5th district, will be speaking for about 15 minutes on projects he has been working on for Solano and Contra Costa counties and deliver updates on what has been going on in Washington, D.C. All of this will be occurring as guests enjoy noodle dishes of several different nationalities, including Italian, Chinese, Filipino and Thai.
   Guests will also hear from Rep. John Lewis. In addition to having represented Georgia’s 5th district since 1987, Lewis was a major civil rights figure in the ‘60s. He was among the Big Six leaders of the Civil Rights Movement, which also included Martin Luther King, Jr. Lewis was president of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and played a big role in fighting segregation and racial discrimination. He was also one of the original Freedom Riders, spoke at the March on Washington in 1963 and led the 1965 march in Selma, Ala. in a day that later came to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”
   Thompson and Lewis have worked closely together, with Thompson even joining Lewis in Selma for the 50th anniversary of the march.
   “(Thompson) is a colleague of Mr. Lewis in Washington, D.C., and they work closely together,” Bowker said. “He asked him to come out here, and he said yes.”
   Additionally, there will be a raffle, free electronic recycling and a computers for nonprofits program. The company Computer Recycling Center will be giving out four recently refurbished Intel Core Duo/Dual Core Windows desktop computers to nonprofit organizations.
   “The reason we use this particular company is because they take all the toxic material out of the product and recycle them properly so nothing goes into the landfill,” Bowker said. 
   The computers in really good condition are refurbished and upgraded to Windows 8 so they can be delivered to nonprofits. Interested organizations should bring in a letter addressed to Steve Wyatt, including its 501(C) number and a short explanation on how its organization will be using these computers. The value of each system is $300.
   Bowker says the event will be a good way to educate people on the political system.
   “I think it’s very important that people get involved in the political system,” she said. “Politics starts in your home. It starts with people that are elected to the school board to city councils to supervisors. I think that the more people get involved, the more they become committed to the community. Mike wants people to know that he’s accessible. If you have a situation, question or problem, his offices are open and he wants to be very approachable.”

   The dinner will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., Saturday, April 2 at the Mare Island Museum, located at 1100 Railroad Ave. in Vallejo. Tickets are $25 for adults and free for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased in advance, at the door or online at MikeThompsonForCongress.com. For more information, call Bowker at (707) 226-8989.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Sunday, March 20, 2016

School board discusses processes to renovate Benicia High School stadium

(Originally published in the 3/20/16 edition)


   The Governing Board of the Benicia Unified School District continued the discussion from its March 3 meeting on the process of procuring a contractor to construct Benicia High School’s new stadium at Thursday’s meeting.
   Benicia High’s stadium renovation project was one of the largest projects that was part of the Measure S bond, which was approved by Benicia voters in June 2014. At the last meeting, Patrick Wilson of School and College Legal Services of California in Santa Rosa argued the merits of a lease-leaseback process, in which a district leases the site to a qualified contractor instead of advertising for bidders, and the site is leased back to the district after construction is completed. 
   At Thursday’s meeting, Loren Sokup, an associate general counsel with School and College Legal Services presented the pros and cons of both the general bidding process and the lease-leaseback process. She began by noting that both methods share common elements, including the Division of the State Architect having to approve construction plans and the contractor paying prevailing wages.
   She then discussed the pros and cons of a general bidding process. On the positive side, a bidding process would likely lead to more competition and better pricing due to advertising and would decrease the likelihood of favoritism. However, the district would have to award the project to the lowest bidder even if a superior contractor is available, Sokup said.
   “Price is the primary driver in this, and the district is subject and locked in to those restrictions,” she said. 
   Under a lease-leaseback process, the district would be able to have a highly qualified contractor who will construct the project in a timely manner. On the other hand, Sokup noted, the process of sole sourcing can be abused, the pricing may be higher and has not necessarily been vetted by a competitive bid process and the contractor may want to delay the start of work for at least 60 days afterward to rely on validation procedure.
   Additionally, Sokup noted that the lease-leaseback process has become more controversial in the wake of Davis v. Fresno Unified School District, in which Fresno Unified misused the process for a variety of projects. Among other things, it was determined that the district had violated conflict of interest laws by granting the project to a construction firm that had previously assisted with consultation on the project.
   Sokup also noted that a pre-qualification process is mandatory for lease-leaseback and required for most bidding projects. Among the subects addressed in the process include whether or not the contractor’s license has ever been revoked or suspended, prior experience with K-12 stadium projects and the provision of audited financial states. 
   Trustee Stacy Holguin asked if there was a time frame difference in carrying out the two processes.
   “With regard to the bidding, there is a required advertising period,” Sokup responded. “With lease-leaseback, it tends to be a shorter time period. That being said, contractors are wanting to wait and start work after 60 days after the contract is awarded.”
   Holguin then noted that lease-leaseback is frequently used at the community college level and asked why it was so controversial at the K-12 level. Sokup noted that it was actually more controversial at the community college level because community college districts haven’t been verified while there is a verification process at the K-12 level.
   Superintendent Charles Young said the board would be moving forward with the bidding process.
   “With the issues of the legal process around lease-leaseback, the 60-day timeframe just pushes us out even further,” he said. “We’ve talked about this quite a bit, and we would like to go ahead with the bidding process.” 
   Trustee Diane Ferrucci concurred with Young’s reasoning.
   “The more I’m reading about lease-leaseback in light of all the recent legislation, it concerns me that they keep saying the district is going to have a really difficult time meeting the level of requirements in order to participate in that lease-leaseback,” she said. “I really prefer going this way with some really clear expectations and requirements.”

   In other business, educational services coordinator Jan Rogenski discussed the rigorous Reading and Writing Project that had been implemented at the elementary schools. Brian Douglas of Mary Farmar Elementary, Kathy Crozier of Matthew Turner Elementary and Deborah Campbell of Joe Henderson Elementary discussed what their students were learning under this program, and some of their students even got to present some of the reports they had written.     Additionally, Young formally announced Brianna Kleinschmidt as Benicia High’s new principal. 

Loren Sokup discusses the differences between lease-leaseback and general bidding. (Photo by Nick Sestanovich)

Friday, March 18, 2016

Brianna Kleinschmidt named as new Benicia High School principal

(Originally published in the 3/18/16 edition)


   Benicia Unified School District Superintendent Charles Young announced Wednesday that Benicia High School vice principal Brianna Kleinschmidt would be promoted to the school’s principal position. 
   Kleinschmidt takes the reins of Mark Corti who had filled in as interim principal following the resignation of Damon Wright in June 2015, after Wright accepted a position as principal of American Canyon High School. 
   Kleinschmidt graduated from Benicia High in 1997 and received her bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her master’s degree in the same field at San Francisco State University. Additionally, she picked up both her teaching credential and administrative credential at Brandman University. 
   She also spent a few years as an event planner with her own catering business in Sacramento but saw a need to pursue her passion.
   “I found I wanted to get back into the area that I studied and get into something that would make more of a difference,” she said. 
   Kleinschmidt returned to her high school alma mater in 2011 to become a teacher in the school’s English department. For the next three years, she taught freshmen, juniors and seniors in a variety of courses, including an expository reading and writing class which prepared high school students for college-level language arts work. In addition, she was the adviser of the yearbook class in 2013 and 2014. Both editions of the Pride yearbook, including the 2014 book which was the first “augmented reality” yearbook in Northern California, picked up awards. 
   Kleinschmidt was promoted to vice principal in 2014, a position she held for the next two years. In that time, she served as the Advanced Placement coordinator, the AVID program site coordinator, an administrator for the EcH2O Academy and was active in organizing the Every 15 Minutes program.
   When a principal position opened up, Kleinschmidt expressed interest.
   “I saw a real need for not just a principal but a principal that would provide some stability of leadership and be here for a long time because I know there’s been some turnover at the principal position,” she said. “I really wanted to continue to help Benicia High School grow and move in the direction that we’re headed in now and do so in a way that we would continue for many years to come.”
   Kleinschmidt says she will continue to work on the school’s current goals, including working with the Schedule Advisory Committee toward making a recommendation for a new bell schedule, changing graduation requirements to increase the number of graduates eligible for UC enrollment and overseeing the stadium renovation project. She also wants to help improve faculty leadership and building relationships with local businesses and alumni.
   “I would love to grow those connections with other businesses in Benicia so we can bring in opportunities for our students whether that’s internships bringing in guest speakers and bringing in opportunities for different classes that maybe we haven’t had in the past to really set our students up for success,” she said. 
   Kleinschmidt believes education will provide students with opportunities that otherwise would not be available to them.
   “I think we’re at a point of shifting away from asking students what they want to be when they grow up and instead helping them focus on what problems they want to solve because a lot of times we are preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet, and so we need to provide them with a huge range of skills,” she said. “Education is growing and evolving in order to better equip our students for their path to success.”
   Kleinschmidt’s role as principal begins today. Vice principals Sean Thompson and Kathrine Cole and dean of students Stacy Starkweather will be assisting with the transition. Corti will be talking to Young to determine his role in the transition, and Kleinschmidt will also be performing her previous vice principal duties until a permanent replacement is hired. 
   “I’m excited for the opportunity, and I look forward to working with staff and the community to make Benicia High School the best that it can be,” she said. “It’s a great school already, and we just want to continue on that path.”


   

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Library will screen documentary exploring view of masculinity

(Originally published in the 3/17/16 edition)


   “Man up”…”Be a man”…”Boys don’t cry”…”You’re acting like a girl.”
   These are among the many common phrases that emphasize what society has determined what it means to be a man. Dictionary.com defines masculinity as “Something traditionally considered to be characteristic of a male” and lists among its synonyms “machismo,” “muscularity,” “strength” and “manliness.” Under this definition, a man is considered a man if he is tough and does not show emotion.
   But could this narrow definition of masculinity possibly have a damaging effect on young males? This is a question posed by the documentary, “The Mask You Live in,” which will be screened at Benicia Public Library next week. 
   “The Mask You Live in” was directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the wife of California Lt. Gov Gavin Newsom. The filmmaker had previously directed the 2011 documentary “Miss Representation,” which examined the poor portrayal of women in the media and how it contributed to the underrepresentation of women in powerful positions. The movie was an official selection at several film festivals across the country— including the Sundance Film Festival—and inspired Newsom to launch The Representation Project, a nonprofit aimed at using film for promoting positive portrayals of genders and combating stereotypes. 
   According to Library Teen Services Director Brandi Bette Smead, Benicia Public Library screened “Miss Represenation” after being approached by a parent. The screening was a huge success and prompted much discussion. 
   “The audience just came up with some really amazing questions,” she said. “The library closed at 9, and we actually didn’t finish our discussion until after the library had closed.” 
   When Smead heard Newsom was working on another documentary, she determined the library would do another screening when the movie came out.
   Whereas “Miss Representation” focused on the portrayal of women in the media, for “The Mask You Live in,” Newsom chose to set her sights on society’s portrayal of men and how it feeds into people’s perceptions of what it means to be masculine. According to “The Mask You Live in,” movies, TV shows, athletics, comic books and even some forms of music propagate the notion that men have to be strong and unsentimental to affirm their manhood. What this creates is a standard that young males feel they have to live up to, and the film argues that it has negative effects on their livelihoods. According to the Institute of Education Sciences, when compared to girls, boys are more likely to drop out of school, be enrolled in special education classes or be expelled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also noted that three or more boys commit suicide every day and suicide is the third leading cause of death for boys. 
   Smead hopes the audience at next week’s screening is a mixture of teens and adults to provide different points of view.
   “If they’re an adult, they can say what it was like when they were a teenager being told to man up or hide your emotions,” she said. “I want to hear from girls’ points of view as well. I want a total mix in the audience.”
   “There’s a lot of teenagers who consider themselves gender fluid, so I’d like to hear from some of them,” she added. 
   Smead is also hoping to have a small panel consisting of a Benicia Unified School District psychologist, district teacher and student to help facilitate the discussion, which she hopes will be influential to attendees.
   “I think it’s important for everyone to understand- whether you’re a guy or a girl-to understand the pressures that society puts on you,” she said. “I think everyone should be free to respond naturally, not in a way that gender tells them they have to.”
   Smead says the film will give people plenty to talk about afterwards.
   “Whether or not the conversation is finished, it will open up a conversation to be continued,” she said.
   “The Mask You Live in” will be screened at 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 23 at the Benicia Public Library, located at 150 E L St. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the library at (707) 746-4343. 

Poster courtesy of Benicia Public Library

   

   

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Pups 'N' Purrz to host second Spring Fling adoption event

(Originally published in the 3/16/16 edition)

   After a week of rain and cold weather, spring finally appears to be in the air. Why not celebrate the start of the season by adopting a new animal friend?
   Pups ’N’ Purrz will be teaming up with frequent partners Umbrella of Hope for its second Spring Fling Adopt-a-Pet event Saturday. The Pittsburg-based animal rescue organization has had three events with the First Street pet supply store this year, and Pups ’N’ Purrz owner James Long said last year’s Spring Fling was quite successful.
   “About five or six animals got adopted,” he said.
   Both cats and dogs will be available to adopt, and all adoptions are going to be $20 to coincide with the spring equinox falling on Sunday, March 20. Long says this time of year is as good as any for people to pick up a new furry friend.
   “It’s time to get the adoptions going again and get the kennels empty,” he said. 
   Long is pleased that the store continues to do work with Umbrella of Hope.
   “This is the third time they’re coming out this year, and it’s been a success every time they’ve been out here,” he said. “People are coming out and helping them and helping the community.”

   The Spring Fling Adopt-a-Pet will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, March 19 at Pups ’N’ Purrz, located at 422 First St. For more information, call the store at 748-7433.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Film on college sexual assaults to be screened in Vallejo

(Originally published in the 3/15/16 edition)


   The Benicia-Vallejo American Association of University Women will be partnering with SafeQuest Solano to present a free screening of the Academy Award-nominated documentary “The Hunting Ground,” which addresses the growing issue of sexual assaults on college campuses. 
   “The Hunting Ground” was directed by Kirby Dick, who had previously received Best Documentary nominations for “Twist of Faith” and “The Invisible War.” After exploring cases of sexual assault in the military in the latter film, the director was inspired to make another documentary focusing on sexual assaults within another American institution: its own colleges. The film focuses on Andrea Pino and Annie E. Clark, two former University of North Carolina students who claimed they were raped while enrolled in the school and filed a Title IX claim against UNC after not feeling supported by the college. The documentary also discusses other incidents at several well-known universities, including Harvard, Notre Dame and Florida State University.
   The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, and an edited version aired on CNN in November. In addition, an original composition by Lady Gaga titled “Til it Happens to You” received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.
   SafeQuest Solano, a nonprofit organization that provides for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, had purchased a DVD copy of “The Hunting Ground” and partnered with Benicia-Vallejo AAUW to present a free public screening at Touro University in Vallejo. 
   “What we’re both interested in is prevention,” AAUW Program Coordinator Jacqueline Crawford said. “The only way we can prevent things is if we’re aware of what the problems are, what the red flags are and how to ensure our safety is protected.”
   According to a 2015 survey by the Association of American Universities, 23 percent of female college students said they experienced a form of unwanted sexual contact. However, a 2014 survey by the Department of Justice noted that 80 percent of rape incidents went unreported to the police. 
   Crawford hopes the documentary will let students who are caught in such circumstances know what their rights are.
   “If we’re unfortunately a victim of sexual assault, we should know what we can do about it and how we can get college campuses to provide support,” she said. 
   Crawford said she was very moved by Pino and Clark’s campaign to end sexual assaults on campus.
   “It’s very moving to see how these two young women banded together to start a movement going from campus to campus,” she said. “Of course, the Internet helps. They can put their information out there, and people respond.” 
   Although the cases of sexual assault against women are greater in number and thus get the most attention, Crawford says the problem extends to men as well. 
   “This is not a problem just for women,” she said. “Men are assaulted also, and there are men talking in the film as well.”
   Crawford says the event will address potential victims and how they can prevent such incidents and discuss the culture of college campuses that might influence young males to act a certain way. 
   At the screening, AAUW will talk about its goals and introduce the film, SafeQuest Solano will have a presentation on its prevention programs, and a question-and-answer session will follow the film.
   “I’m certainly hoping they have a better understanding of what the issues are, what the red flags are and therefore be able to identify the dangerous situations for themselves and to avoid them,” Crawford said. “If they are unfortunate enough to have experienced sexual assault, they should know they have every right to report it and obtain support services. Education is what we’re all about, and education is power.”
   “The Hunting Ground” will be screened at 6:30 p.m., Monday, March 21 at Farragut Inn, located at 1310 Club Drive on the Touro University Campus on Mare Island. For more information on AAUW, visit beniciavallejo-ca.aauw.net
   

Registration for Open Studios begins

(Originally published in the 3/15/16 edition)

May is just around the corner. Soon, the weather will heat up, the air will be filled with the aroma of barbecues and Benicians will be treated to a sample of their town's most talented artists. 
   Benicia Artists Open Studios will be held May 7 and 8, featuring more than 50 of Benicia's artists both on First Street and in the Arsenal. Artists will open the doors to their studio spaces to let visitors see what kinds of art they are currently working on and chat with Benicia artists. Artists may even do live demonstrations, and patrons might have an opportunity to buy some art.
   Visitors will be able to ride a SolTrans shuttle from the Arsenal to many of the stops along First Street, including Lindsay Art Glass and galleries like Plein Air Gallery and Gallery 621.
   For artists who would like to have their work showcased at Open Studios, visit ArtsBenicia.org. You can print out an application form with a check payable to Arts Benicia, or you can make your payment over the phone by calling (707) 747-0131 from Wednesdays to Fridays. All payment information will be secure. The fee is $75 for Arts Benicia members and $85 for non-members. Both the form and payment are due no later than Wednesday, April 6. 
   Open Studios will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8. For more information, visit ArtsBenicia.org.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Schedule Advisory Committee holds community forum at Benicia High School

(Originally published in the 3/13/16 edition)

    Benicia High School’s Schedule Advisory Committee hosted a community forum Thursday to address questions and concerns about a new schedule that would be implemented in the 2017-2018 school year.
   The Schedule Advisory Committee was created in November, 2015 when Charles Young, superintendent of Benicia Unified School District, was looking to satisfy a goal from the previous Western Association of Schools and Colleges visit. 
   “When I was hired as superintendent, one of the things I noticed in going through documents was that there was a WASC goal in taking a look at schedules and seeing what we can do to increase staff collaboration and meet student needs better,” Young told the audience. “That’s why we put this committee together.”
   The committee- which is comprised of two administrators, six teachers, four students and six parents- looks at data and receives community input to determine which schedules would help decrease stress and anxiety related to the school’s current schedule, best provides opportunities for personalized student support and allows teachers to have dedicated time to collaborate and develop professionally. 
   Currently, Benicia High has a non-rotating six period schedule that runs from 8 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. with the option for students to take an additional early bird class at 7 a.m. Possible changes to the schedule would include a later start time or a rotating block schedule, but English teacher and committee member Morgan Hill noted the committee will not be making a decision on which type of schedule to use and could only make recommendations. 
   “Hopefully after this community forum, we’ll take into consideration everything that you guys have said and take that with us as we move into that decision toward a recommendation process,” she said. 
   To give community members an idea into the complex process that goes into developing a new schedule, a presentation was given by Eric Mapes, the assistant principal of Piedmont High School and Millennium High School in Piedmont. From 1996 to 2014, the school used a 7-day rotating schedule.
   “It was actually a pilot,” Mapes said. “The teachers said it would only be used for one year, and it lasted for 17 years.” 
   The schedule also included staff collaboration days where staff met every seven days and tutorial days where students could go into the office and get help for an hour. Both meetings were scheduled for the end of the day, and there were only 19 staff collaboration and tutorial days each year, which Mapes noted did not allow for much time for students and teachers to connect. 
   A recommendation committee was formed in October 2013 following a site council meeting in September where parents asked about extracurricular activities and sleep. The committee consisted of administrators, certificated and classified staff and an Association of Piedmont Teachers executive board member but not parents or students. The goals included increasing tutorial time and teacher collaboration, providing student support opportunities and protecting their sleep schedules. 
   In the 2014-2015 school year, Piedmont High adopted an alternating 5-day bell schedule where the classes met in 90-minute blocks on rotating days with tutorial and staff collaborations moved toward the beginning of the day and a mandatory tutorial day once a month. However, Mapes noted that people found Mondays to be too long, passing periods too short and students disliked the mandatory tutorials. In 2015-2016, the school adopted a new schedule where the end of Tuesdays through Fridays were increased by five minutes.
   “Students say they’re coming to school more refreshed and connect better with teachers,” Mapes said. 
   Ken Yale, the committee’s facilitator and a founding principal of Millennium High School when it underwent its first schedule change in 1996, said the group was not advocating for a particular type of schedule.
   “If you ask national experts, they will tell you there is no such thing as a perfect schedule,” he said. “A schedule works to the extent that it reflects what the particular outcomes are. Schools have different values and different demographics.”
   English teacher and committee member Kim Thompson said that while there is not enough quantitative data to determine if schedule changes have made major improvements, schools have benefited from them.
   “When they revisited schools that had made the shift and asked them how people are feeling about the shift, none of the schools would go back to their old schedule and all reported being happier and feeling less stressed from students and teachers across the board,” she said. 
   The committee will prepare a written report in April and present a recommendation to the Governing Board in May. For more information, email scheduleadvisorycommittee@gmail.com