Our beloved Michael passed away at 6:24 a.m. on May 19, 2021 in Martinez. Family and friends blessed to have been part of his journey through life and to have known such a caring, loving husband, brother, uncle and friend. Michael was a quiet sole, but his presence was felt …

BY MARIANA GARRICK The indie-blues rock band The Black Keys released their 10th studio album Delta Kream on May 14. Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s 11-track album fills the ears of listeners with head-bopping jams and foot-stomping rhythms that pay tribute to hill country blues legends R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough …

BY DEBRA J. MORRIS The fruit of summer – juicy melons, sweet cherries, luscious berries, plump figs, and succulent grapes – are what we wait for all year long, but it all begins with the utter bliss of biting into a sweet, juicy peach or nectarine. In their infinite variety …

BY SEAN WATKINS The Baltimore Orioles beat the A’s 8-4 on Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum for their second straight win against Oakland as the O’s lineup abused Jesus Luzardo in the third, racking up six runs off four hits while the Athletics bats struggled early on to get anything …

BY STEPHEN SHAW It’s been said that America runs on Eastern Time. Whether it’s finances, entertainment or even Major League Baseball itself, teams on the West Coast have to adjust their clocks to be on equal terms with the rest of the league. Across Major League Baseball, several time zones …

BY MARIANA GARRICK Norah Jones’ smooth, sultry voice transports us along with her to world-tour performances in the United States, Argentina, France, Italy, and Brazil in her first live album …’Til We Meet Again. The multi-Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and pianist just released the 14-track album with performances recorded between …

BY DEBRA J. MORRIS A spoonful of wildflower honey on a warm biscuit, a dollop of clover honey in your tea, and a drizzle of blueberry honey in salad dressings are made possible because of honey bees. These hard-working insects are responsible for pollinating most fruits, vegetables, legumes and more. …

BY JUDIE & JOSEPH PALMER When last we wrote, we discussed the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery’s horse trough and the lack of information regarding its origins, disuse, and eventual decay. However, we recently found in the County’s library digitized newspaper collection, a series of articles regarding the meetings of the Alhambra …

BY SEAN WATKINS Oakland extended their winning streak to seven games on Saturday afternoon, shutting out Detroit 7-0 at the Coliseum in dominant fashion, beating up on the Tigers and Casey Mize, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, with three home runs and a shutout performance from Cole …

A new art gallery has opened its doors in the small town Contra Costa county town of Crockett. Art enthusiasts would be well advised to plan a special trip or a stop on their way north to wine country to check out the current exhibition of new paintings by Ed …