AMERICAN CANYON >> This city's yearly bargain-and-treasure-hunters' weekend promises to be bigger and better than last year's, which was bigger and better than the one the year before, a city spokeswoman and event organizer said.
American Canyon's 4th annual Community Yard Sale is planned for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, (June 3-5) Community Outreach Manager Deanna Parness said.
American Canyon's 4th annual Community Yard Sale set for this weekendHere's what will be open and closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day:
Closed or not operating:
• The cities of Vallejo, Benicia and American Canyon
• The counties of Solano and Napa, where most county offices will be closed Monday, May 30, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.
Open/Closed Memorial DayIf you're trying to rent a two-bedroom place in Solano County, you're looking at paying about $1,600 per month -- and that's cheap compared to nearly anywhere else in the Bay Area, according to the latest Apartment List's Rent Report.
Apartment List's Rent Reports cover rental pricing data in major cities, their suburbs, and their neighborhoods, according to company material.
Vallejo rents are high, but comparatively low for the regionVallejo's popular Thrift Center store on Sonoma Boulevard was one of nine such establishments in Central and Northern California to close abruptly a week or so ago, though it may be the only one to stay closed, a source close to the owner said Friday.
Working through their own company, Unique Recycling Corp.
Vallejo's Thrift Center closed for goodWith former touring musician and current Touro grad Zubin Sedghi as featured speaker, Vallejo's Touro University holds its 2016 commencement ceremonies in Berkeley on Tuesday, school officials announced.
The College of Osteopathic Medicine commencement ceremony is planned for 8 a.m. Tuesday, May 31 at UC Berkeley's Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerback Hall #4800.
Vallejo's Touro University to graduate nearly 450 studentsThe people who run the Napa Smith Brewery say their new Vallejo facility will help catapult the city into the center of the increasingly popular craft beer brewing craze.
Or, as master brewer Don Barkely put it, #x201c;It's Vallejo's time.#x201d;
The 8-year-old brewery is moving most of its California operations to the old Sears service center building at 101 Yolano Ave.
Napa Smith Brewery aims to put Vallejo on the craft brewing mapCeremonies have been set Monday in Vallejo and neighboring cities to remember the fallen heroes who died while serving their nation.
Here is a list of the Memorial Day ceremonies planned to honor them:
• Honoring Our Fallen Heroes, 11 a.m., Vallejo Veterans Memorial Park, Georgia Street and Mare Island Way.
Memorial Day ceremonies set in Vallejo, other citiesNAPA >> Health care inequities and homelessness in the city of Napa will be closely studied by a five-member team from Napa County Health and Human Services and community partners, thanks to a $60,000 Reinvestment Fund and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant, Napa County officials announced.
This is a Napa city-specific study, spokeswoman Kristi Jourdan said.
Napa one of 50 to win health care and homelessness study grantU.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) introduced legislation to limit the airline industry's ability to continue trading consumer comfort and safety for increased profits, his office announced this week.
The Airline Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 5291) will build on progress already made to strengthen consumer protections and improve the travel experience for airline passengers, Thompson said in a statement.
Thompson introduces airline consumers protection legislationThe unemployment rates in Solano and Napa counties were down slightly in April, according to the latest state figures.
At 5.3 percent, Solano ranks 23 statewide in terms of joblessness, while Napa County's 4.2 percent ranks it 6th.
These figures compare with an unadjusted unemployment rate of 5.
Unemployment drops slightly locally in AprilIt will be a gardener's delight Sunday during Vallejo and Benicia's second Urban Farm Tour.
The Tour lasts from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. and will showcase five different private locations in the area, each with a unique urban farm or garden.
Ruby Blume, founder of the Institute of Urban Homesteading organization, said visitors will have a chance to talk with established home-scale farmers who are raising livestock, fruits and vegetables within city limits.
Tickets still available for Urban Farm TourFor more than 20 years, the "TJ" in TJ's Designs stood for Thelma and Jimmy, but now, and for the past several months, it stands for Tabatha and Juan Gomez, the married couple who bought the Vallejo embroidery/screen printing-type business from the now retired former owners.
The couple -- who met at 16 when they both worked at a local McDonald's restaurant while attending different Vallejo high schools -- operates the business out of their garage, just like the former owners did, they said.
Vallejo couple takes over, expands 20-year-old embroidery bizIt was a confusing and tragic moment for Isabelle Reyes when she first heard that her 18-year-old son Eric had been shot and killed in broad daylight.
Eric Reyes was fatally wounded Feb. 6 in his car after he and the driver of another vehicle got into a confrontation near the intersection of Springs Road and Heartwood Avenue.
Witnesses urged to come forward in Vallejo murder caseIt was a confusing and tragic moment for Isabelle Reyes when she first heard that her 18-year-old son Eric had been shot and killed in broad daylight.
Eric Reyes was fatally wounded Feb. 6 in his car after he and the driver of another vehicle got into a confrontation near the intersection of Springs Road and Heartwood Avenue.
Witnesses urged to come forward in Vallejo murder caseTwo men and a woman, all wearing the insignia and garb of house Montague, briefly paused at a table Saturday to talk about an upcoming masquerade in Venice.
"Is love a tender thing?" asked Romeo to his friends. "It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous and it pricks like thorn."
"If love be rough with you, be rough with love," replied Mercutio.
Italians take over Blue Rock Springs Park in VallejoVallejo police are investigating a series of armed robbery using a smartphone application.
Within almost a day, police were dispatched this week to two similar reports in north Vallejo.
The first one was reported at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 500 block of Mini Drive, where officers contacted a victim who told them the robbery happened during a private transaction facilitated by the iPhone app OfferUP, police said.
Vallejo police investigate series of robberies using appDon't be alarmed if you can't see the firefighters in Benicia on Memorial Day.
In honor of the military servicemen and women who protect our country, Benicia firefighters will don camouflage T-shirts for Memorial Day and other dates yet to be determined.
President of the Benicia Firefighters Association Todd Matthews said the inspiration to abandon their regular T-shirts for something more guerilla came from Vacaville's fire department.
Benicia Fire Department trade in shirts for camouflageAMERICAN CANYON >> Another job fair -- this time focused on opportunities in customer service, hospitality and banking -- is planned for 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at the Double Tree Hotel, 3600 Broadway, American Canyon, organizers announced.
Representatives of local employers, Platypus Tours, U.
American Canyon holds second job fairOpen only since August, Vallejo's Sushi Grill has already gained a devoted following, said Joanne Fontilla who owns the eatery at 5184 Sonoma Boulevard, No. 340, with her parents.
The Japanese restaurant, located within the Food 4 Less shopping area, serves some 500 chicken teriyaki bowls -- one of the restaurant's most popular items -- each month, Fontilla said.
New, affordable sushi restaurant creating buzz in North VallejoAmerican Canyon High School's 3rd Annual Car Show Fundraiser is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday in the school's parking lot, organizers said.
Admission is free. Proceeds benefit the school's athletic booster club, the Go Pack, organizers said.
Car registration is $25; $15 for students with school ID.
May 12 Vallejo A&E Source: American Canyon High School annual car show SundayAMERICAN CANYON >> Cleaning up the environment can be fun and provide life-long inspiration.
That's part of what a group of environmentally conscious American Canyon High School club members took away from the club's trip to last month's Monterey Bay Aquarium Ocean Plastics Pollution Symposium.
May 12 Vallejo A&E Source: Life lessons for American Canyon students at Monterey environmental symposiumThe Vallejo Admirals are about baseball -- but also about entertainment during a long summer season.
The city's independent professional team also strives to be about community, and club officials have devised a highly visible way to demonstrate that.
Team officials have put a call out for anyone who can do nearly anything entertaining for an abbreviated version of a Vallejo's Got Talent/Gong Show hybrid sort-of thing to be performed between innings at Wilson Park, Admirals owner Kevin Riley said.
Vallejo Admirals hold tryouts for between innings entertainmentNAPA >> Since 2011, Napa County officials have been working to "optimize the registration and voter friendly experience" of the county's eligible Spanish-speaking citizens, they said.
Continuing those Registrar of Voters John Tuteur will convene a Spanish Language Assistance Advisory Council composed of leaders from the Hispanic community.
Napa election officials form Spanish language advisory councilMany Vallejo Food 4 Less customers may still be in the dark, but its employees learned "a couple weeks ago," that the store is closing for good on Sunday, a long-time employee said Tuesday.
Eighteen-year store veteran Brian Roberts of Vallejo said the 75-or-so employees were told there are jobs for them in one of the company's new stores in Marin or Sacramento, if they want it.
Vallejo's Food 4 Less closing for good on SundayAMERICAN CANYON >> A Vallejo man was arrested Saturday night on suspicion of having marijuana packaged for sale, American Canyon Police Chief Tracey Stuart said Monday.
Franklin Floyd, 33, of Vallejo, was pulled over by an officer at about 11 p.m. Saturday for a traffic violation, when the officer smelled marijuana and searched the car, Stuart said.
Vallejo man arrested in American Canyon on suspicion of pot salesThe San Francisco Bay Ferry will add special morning service from Vallejo to the San Francisco Bay Ferry Building for the Bay to Breakers race on Sunday, May 15, ferry officials announced.
The special morning service schedule departs the Vallejo Ferry Terminal at 6 a.m. and arrives at the San Francisco Ferry Building around 7 a.
Ferry to run special Bay to Breakers a.m. service SundayInspired artwork of all forms were on display Saturday during the annual Coal Shed Spring Art Show.
Held on the Mare Island waterfront at 4th and Washington streets, the event opened the doors of building 153 to the public and gave more than a dozen resident artists a chance display their creations.
Art show on Mare Island highlights local creatorsJust in time for Jewish American Heritage Month in May, Vallejo's Congregation B'nai Israel celebrates its 20th Annual Dinner and Auction from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday, May 15, at the Nebraska Street synagogue.
The event typically draws between 100 to 150 people, organizers said.
"It began 20 years ago as a dinner fund raiser and later grew to include the auction," spokeswoman Debbie Lamb said.
Vallejo synagogue's 20th anniversary dinner/auction fundraiser just days awayNAPA >> Lori-Leanne Parris, program coordinator at Hayward Adult School, has been named principal of Napa Valley Adult Education in Napa, starting July 1, Napa Valley Unified School District officials announced. She will succeed Rhonda Slota, who is retiring after 17 years as principal and 30 years of service in the Napa school district, they said.
Napa Adult School gets new principalTimes-Herald staff report
Assuming the weather cooperates, Caltrans plans to continue the major pavement repair of seven miles of westbound and eastbound Interstate-780 between Vallejo and Benicia, agency officials announced.
The project could be completed as early as this summer, they said.
Freeway paving work continues for I-780 between Vallejo and BeniciaU.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) this week announced Benicia High School's Stella Li as the winner of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition for the 5th Congressional District.
Li's work, titled "Memories of my Grandmother," will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year starting in June, Thompson said.
Benicia High School student named Solano County winner of Congressional art contestThe Vallejo Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (ValPAC) announced its candidate endorsements for local public office.
The group endorses Michael Coan for Supervisor District 2, Bill Dodd for Senate District 3 and Tim Grayson for Assembly District 14 for the June 7 Primary Election.
Vallejo Chamber announces political picksAMERICAN CANYON>> City officials want their water customers to know they still need to be conscious of water use, even though the city council rescinded its emergency water use restrictions ordinance in favor of a less stringent one.
On Thursday, city officials disseminated a press release outlining what the new, less strict rules allow and don't allow.
American Canyon's less strict water use rules still require water use awarenessA Vallejo food firm is the most recent business to be affected by potential Listeria concerns.
Ghiringhelli Specialty Foods at 101 Benicia Road is recalling 33,610 pounds of food products sold at Trader Joe's because of possible contamination.
Included in the recall are broccoli slaw, kale salad and white chicken meat.
Listeria concerns prompt large food recall in VallejoNearly a dozen Vallejo high school seniors were awarded scholarships at a first-ever event at California State University Maritime Academy last month.
Scholarships of various sizes came from two organizations -- the Vallejo Education and Business Alliance (VEBA) and the Solano Hispanic Chamber of Commerce -- as part of the Vallejo Young Scholars Celebration, CMA spokesman Bobby King said.
May 5 Vallejo A&E Source, Always Something To Celebrate: Cal Maritime hosts Vallejo organizations' scholarship awards eventAMERICAN CANYON >> Recent rains have eased the local drought situation sufficiently to warrant removal of the emergency Stage 2 water use restrictions, a move the city council unanimously approved at Tuesday's meeting.
The council also approved stepping back to a Stage 1, voluntary conservation measure for the foreseeable future.
American Canyon released from mandatory emergency water restrictionsOne of the Bay Area's 2016 Bike Commuters of the Year is Solano County's Mitch Korcyl, a Vacaville Genetech employee who organizes Tuesday night rides and Bike to Work Day activities for his company.
Another is Megan Hess Lilla, a Napa mother of two who works for Napa County, and another is massage therapist Liam Casey, "who powers through San Francisco's streets on his bicycle with a massage table on the back, providing 'massage delivered by bicycle" for the last two and a half years,' according to a statement from the Metropolitain Transportaiton Commission (MTC).
2016 Bike Commuters of the Year revealedNAPA >> Homeless housing and services programs here are getting 15 percent more federal help than last year, Napa County officials announced.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently awarded Napa County $712,708 for homeless housing and support services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, which includes about 1,000 children and adults throughout the county, officials said.
Napa gets $712,708 in federal homelessness grantsVallejo Police Department officials will try to prevent alcohol-related crashes this Thursday with extra officers on saturation patrols for Cinco de Mayo, it was announced.
Some 343 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes over the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend in 2014 and of those, 34 percent (116) died in drunk-driving crashes, officials said.
Drunk drivers beware: Vallejo PD will be out in force on Cinco de MayoAMERICAN CANYON >> As recent rains have eased California's four-year drought -- at least in Northern California -- city officials will consider easing citywide water use restrictions during Tuesday's regular city council meeting.
Council members will hear a report on water supply and demand in the city's water service area, consider rescinding the Drought Emergency Stage 2 and declaring a Drought Emergency Stage 1, instead, which calls for voluntary conservation.
Mandatory American Canyon water restrictions likely rescinded TuesdayFoster Poultry Farms is recalling some 220,450 pounds of fully cooked, frozen chicken nuggets that may be contaminated with blue plastic and black rubber materials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Monday.
Though there have been no reports of adverse effects from consuming these recalled products, officials urge anyone who believes they have any of these products, not to eat them, but to throw them away or return them to the store you bought them from.
Foster Farms recalls thousands of pounds of poultry products