Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.

By JERALDINE SAUNDERS Tribune Content Agency BIRTHDAY GUY: Actor Gil Birmingham was born in San Antonio, Texas, on this day in 1953. This birthday guy played the role of Billy Black in the “Twilight” film franchise. Other film work includes “The Lone Ranger,” “Crooked Arrows” and “California Indian.” He’s played …

By GORDON COX Variety Penn and Teller appeared on Broadway last week — and made big money appear with them, as their new show muscled up into the Top 10 during a summer week that saw post-holiday sales rise at most productions on the boards. “Penn & Teller on Broadway” …

MAYO CLINIC Q&A Tribune Content Agency DEAR MAYO CLINIC: In the summer, my kids play outdoors most of the day, and we’ve found ticks on their clothing. Is Lyme disease something I should be worried about? What are the early symptoms? Does bug spray keep ticks away? ANSWER: Lyme disease …

The great California drought is here. In response to the serious water shortage, the State of California has mandated a 25 percent reduction in overall water consumption. The city of Martinez is following suit and asking residents to practice water conservation. To help residents do their best at saving water, the …

Join the National Park Service for a free campfire program on Saturday, July 11, 2015, at John Muir National Historic Site (NHS) in Martinez, California. The program begins at 7 p.m. and lasts roughly 1 1/2 hours. Rangers will lead the group in songs, skits and stories to celebrate the legacy of …

JULIA HOROWITZ Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown has signed a hotly contested California bill to impose one of the strictest school vaccination laws in the country in the wake of an outbreak of measles at Disneyland late last year. The following is a look at what …

A national data registry that helps Contra Costa emergency medical providers optimize the initial treatments that cardiac arrest patients receive in Contra Costa County should become standard across the country, according to a study issued by the Institute of Medicine. The Institute, a nonprofit that is part of the National …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5), co-chair of the Invasive Species Caucus, and Scott De Leon, Director of the Lake County Water Resources Department were honored last week in Washington, D.C. at the second annual Reduce Risks from Invasive Species Coalition (RRISC) Congressional Reception and Awards Program. Thompson, …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-5) and Barbara Lee (CA-13) lead a letter to Sutter Health expressing their concerns over the impact of the potential closure of the Thunder Road Adolescent Treatment Center in Oakland, California. The letter was cosigned by 18 Members of Congress from Northern California …

The East Bay chapter of the California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA), which spans all of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, recently held the 2015 Beautification Awards honoring 12 local landscape contractors for excellence in landscape installation and maintenance, and demonstrating the best quality, construction, originality and attention to detail on projects completed within the last …