By MANJIT SAPPAL Martinez Chief of Police On Jan. 11 we kicked off our first 10 week Community Police Academy with 24 participants that will be exposed to a variety of information about the Martinez Police Department and the services that we provide. We had a great group attend and …

Dear Editor, I am so darned sick of hearing people talk about Martinez’s “potential,” and “if they only did that,” “if they only did this.” You can’t walk into any coffee shop, restaurant, boutique or bar in town without hearing someone flapping their gums about what would “fix” the city. …

Dear Editor, I have told Mayor Schroder that we need serious street repairs in Martinez. We have discussed the issue and I appreciate that he is looking for a solution to the problem. He has recently suggested a sales tax increase of 1 percent to fund the repair of our …

At the time of this photo, August 1989, the man seen in this photograph was the last remaining milkman in Contra Costa County. His delivery truck seemed to be a vintage model even then! (CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY / Courtesy)

Kim Tran (above) volunteering at the Gift Shop. Volunteers are needed at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, to fill a variety of positions at the Gift Shop, Information Desk, Layette Program and more. Volunteers of all ages, nationalities and skills who are looking for a way to give service four …

By D.B. WEILENMAN Martinez Tribune When Contra Costa County tax bills went out Nov. 1, Martinez property owners learned something the county’s assessor, Gus Kramer, already knew. Property values in this city are back at their pre-recession level. Some parts of Contra Costa County experienced rough times during the recession, …

By E. CLARK Martinez Tribune MARTINEZ, Calif. – For the last couple of years, Martinez Marina has been home to two majestic swans. Sometimes they can be viewed out near the end of the pier being photographed and admired by onlookers. Other times they’ve been known to slip up on …

By HANNAH HATCH Martinez Tribune What makes your art unique? I work with multi-media. Primarily, projects I have been working on for the last few years are pencil graphic and charcoal portraits. My organization Muzick Communication Arts Media Organization, (http://www.themcamo.org) is to create a positive change through the arts. “A …

By RAY ROBBINS Special to the Tribune I miss tagging along with my older brother and his friends, riding the ferry boat to Benicia and back. You could ride all day for 10 cents, if you knew where to hide. I miss being shooed away from Pasco’s Bar on the …

By E. CLARK Martinez Tribune Shell Martinez Refinery Fire Department responded to a report of a duct fire inside the Criterion Catalyst Plant last week. The fire was reported at approximately 2:40 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19. When fire personnel arrived, employees had already put out the fire. According to a …