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Earthquake in New Zealand, Part Two: Assessing the damage
Mar 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 3 3 recommendations | email to a friend
To give an idea of how strong the earthquake was: The earthquake had a force of 2G (twice the force of gravity).
Earthquake in New Zealand, Part Three: An eerie silence
Mar 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend
Normally, as you approach the city, from about an hour away you can see the glow of the city, and as you get close, the city lights are brighter and brighter. But this time, I saw nothing in the di...
Earthquake in New Zealand, Part Four: A surreal state of survival
Mar 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend
It is so very strange how our lives have gone from the everyday, normal things to this state of emergency and survival.
Earthquake in New Zealand, Part Five: A 2,500-year event
Mar 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend
We still don’t have any portaloo on our street but I am sure they are coming. Food and fuel are easy to come by. Water continues to be a concern but we are on top of it.
Earthquake in New Zealand, Part Six: History unearthed in Christchurch
Mar 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
Today the nation stopped for two minutes of silence to remember the earthquake, exactly seven days ago to the minute. People stopped what they were doing and stood together to remember. It was very...
Earthquake in New Zealand, Part Seven: Building a new life
Mar 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
When they hit at night, you wake up suddenly and quickly realize it's a quake and then wait to see how strong and if you need to get up or not.
Cardio conspiracy
by Slim Randles
Feb 18, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
There’s nothing like kitchen-table guilt. From my kitchen table, I can look out on the path along the creek and see my ambitious neighbors wearing themselves out each morning. There they go, jounci...
Adams student named top youth volunteer
Feb 16, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
Tyler Page, a 13-year-old eighth-grade student at Brentwood’s J. Douglas Adams Middle School, has been named California’s top youth volunteer for 2011 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, ...
Oakley residential rezone public workshops
Feb 15, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
The City of Oakley holds a series of public workshops this week to explain the city’s plan to rezone residential areas that are inconsistent with the city’s General Plan. The General Plan describes...
Library demonstrates magic touch
by Rev. Austin Miles
Feb 11, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
For a writer, the opening of a new library is always a happy occasion. Especially when it does so with a magic touch, as presented by prestidigitator Timothy James. The tall, slim man with a distin...
Caffeinated conundrums
by Slim Randles
Feb 04, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend
Don’t mess with philosophy. It’ll eat your lunch. Oh yes. It was that way the other day down at the actual philosophy counter at the Mule Barn truck stop. It all began innocently enough, with Doc c...
The woulda-coulda-shoulda hour
by Slim Randles
Feb 02, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend
Sometimes having coffee with the guys down at the Mule Barn truck stop doesn’t lead to scintillating conversation. Like this morning. Instead of the philosophy counter, the guys were clutched toget...
Groundhog Day
by Winslow Myers
Feb 01, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend
Groundhog Day brings to mind various associations, including the fervent hope of this snow-buried Bostonian that Punxsutawney Phil will not see his shadow this year and spring will come early. This...
Albino fights odds in Zambia
Jan 31, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 8 8 recommendations | email to a friend
Susan Chanda, 29, has been teaching a special-education class – primarily through sign language – for eight years in a small village in Zambia, Africa. Such a class, nearly abandoned by government ...
Orf Day
by Slim Randles
Jan 24, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
You’d think winter would give Sarah McKinley a bumper crop of readers down at the Read Me Now bookstore. You’d think. But for some reason, she finds the need each winter to have some crazy promotio...
Dollars multiply for Loaves & Fishes
Jan 21, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 01-21-11 11:55 PM UnitedHealthcare has donated $3,000 to the Loaves & Fishes of Contra Costa to help provide nutritious meals to area families in need. For nearly three decad...
Local restaurant brings two worlds together
by Corey Hunt
Jan 18, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 7 7 recommendations | email to a friend
In the summer of 2009 I defied some of the most depressing days of my life – a grueling job, sputtering academic success and a longing for more fulfillment in life – when I spent the better part of...
Buckling swash with ol’ Greg
Jan 14, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
Mickey Baker, down at The Strand, really knows how to start the new year off right. Mickey has owned our local movie house since Ike was playing golf, you see, and he has learned to adapt to the ti...
Iwo Jima vets to be honored
Jan 12, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
The Maine Memorial Association has issued an open invitation to Iwo Jima survivors to attend a luncheon and commemorative memorial service marking the 66th anniversary of the 36-day bloody battle f...
Casting Call for ‘Secret Garden’
Jan 05, 2011 | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend
El Campanil Children’s Theatre is conducting auditions for its March production of “The Secret Garden,” directed by Sharon Redman. Auditions take place Monday, Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. at Antioch’s El Cam...