State of Emergency …

Driftwood washed ashore at the Martinez Marina. Continued winds and heavy rain that began the first week in January caused flooding in the downtown and other parts of Martinez. The City Council declared a state of emergency at the request of City Manager Brad Kilger and Police Chief Manjit Sappal at the Jan. 18 meeting council meeting. If Contra Costa County and California State directors of the Office of Emergency Services concur, Martinez could be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for up to 87.5 percent of clean-up costs that could reach $400,000, according to Kilger’s report. (MARTINEZ TRIBUNE / On File)