City of Benicia This Week
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In this edition: Park Dedicated to Fallen Peace Officer, Easy Registration for Your Security Camera, Library Hosts Author, Find Summer Fun in the Rec Guide, Wednesday Senior Cafe, Info on Baby Formula Shortage, Historic Preservation Month Continues, City Employee Spotlight
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Message from the City Manager |
May 23, 2022
Dear Benicia Community,
It was quite an emotional week as we unveiled the dedication of Steve Armenta Park (formerly Willow Glen Park). Recognizing the sacrifice he made on behalf of this community. It was an incredibly poignant moment when Sergeant Martin Stovald presented Steve Armenta’s daughter Peggy a bouquet of flowers. Peggy was 15 years old when her father was murdered there. This process started about four years ago. After moving through the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Commission it moved on to Council where it received unanimous support, and even a letter of support from then California Attorney General Kamala Harris. I know this moment meant a great deal to his daughter as well as his co-workers and helped bring closure to a still very painful event. After a great deal of fundraising and working with the sculptor for the memorial stone, COVID-19 hit and delayed the unveiling for quite some time, due to the age and other risk factors for most of the attendees. I want to thank Mayor Young and City Council (as well as former Mayor Elizabeth Patterson who was Mayor at the time it was passed) as well as the Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Commission for their commitment to getting this done after 50 years!
At their last meeting, Council approved an agreement to begin a two-phase process involving what we are calling the North Study Area. Many of you know this as the ‘Seeno Property’. This collaborative visioning process will begin with an economic analysis that will look at the market conditions to help identify potential economically beneficial uses of this property. That study will then fold into a community engagement effort that will seek input through a series of public meetings. Ultimately, the hope is that the process will combine community input with an analysis of on the economic benefit to the property owner and the City to create a positive path forward. The property is currently zoned ‘limited industrial’ and ‘general commercial.’ While the property owner could bring forward a development proposal at any time, which may or may not align with the current zoning, they have decided to partner with the City and seek City and community input as a preliminary step before making a decision to forward. The owner, WCHB LLC, will be paying for the entire process.
This Tuesday, the Fire Department will be doing a presentation on the Port Fire Incident and Council will be discussing a possible sales tax that would be put on the ballot in November. This sales tax would help address the issues of our severely underfunded infrastructure, including bringing our roads from a Pavement Condition Index of ‘Poor to Failing’ up to ‘Good’.
Yesterday, I ran into a friend of mine, who is a reporter and had been in Benicia reporting during the crisis at the Water Treatment Plant. She said she was very impressed with the community and their response to the water break, and how they were so supportive of the City and doing what needed to be done. I was very proud to hear that! I appreciate the community’s support as we work to stabilize and then lift up both our critical human infrastructure (our staff) and our physical infrastructure (water and wastewater infrastructure, roads, parks, etc.).
Thank you for your interest in the City of Benicia This Week!
Erik Upson
City Manager
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Park Dedicated to Fallen Peace Officer |
Thursday, May 19 was a profound day for the Benicia Police Department and the City of Benicia.
After nearly 50 years, the City was able to honor Steven L. Armenta, fallen California Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement Field Supervisor, who was killed in the line of duty in Benicia, with a ceremony unveiling a stone and bronze monument along with a new park sign.
Supervisor Armenta worked a number of narcotics cases in Benicia, and made friends with Benicia Police officers making this town his community. On December 5, 1973, Supervisor Armenta was shot while making an undercover purchase in the parking lot across from the Willow Glen Park. Two days later, he succumbed to his injuries. He remains the only peace officer to die in the line of duty in Benicia. Supervisor Armenta was 40 years old and left behind two children.
In November 2018, the City Council approved the renaming of Willow Glen Park on West 7th and K Streets to Steve Armenta Park in honor of the fallen peace officer.
After much organizing and fundraising, a ceremony was held last Thursday dedicating the monument and renaming the park. The ceremony was attended by Supervisor Armenta’s friends and family, local dignitaries and retired officers. Among the attendees was one of his daughters.
The outpouring of support from the community during the fundraising effort made this a reality and the stone and bronze monument would not have been possible without the generosity of Valero Benicia Refinery.
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Easy Registration for Your Security Camera |
Did you know that those with outdoor security cameras can voluntarily register their cameras with the Benicia Police Department for investigative purposes?
This will allow Benicia's officers to quickly pinpoint locations with cameras that may have recorded moments that could potentially help with solving crimes. This is only to allow officers to find possible footage faster. The Police Department will NOT have access to your camera systems.
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In April of this year, the Benicia Public Library initiated a multi-week program series titled From Just Us to Justice: A Community Equity Challenge. The name for the series is derived from the title of the book Just Us: An American Conversation by Claudia Rankine, which has been used as a platform to explore the impact of disparity and inequity in our country and our community.
Funded by a Book to Action grant, the series has included presentations on the history of racism in America, privilege, unconscious bias, allyship, and more, and hundreds of resources have been made available through the library’s website to allow individuals to explore these topics further.
“The success of this program shows that people in our community are making opportunities to learn about and share their understandings and experiences of these issues a priority,” said Jennifer Baker, Director of Library and Cultural Services for the Benicia Public Library. "Through these conversations we create context and space to process individual and community reactions to extreme events such as the horrific mass murder in Buffalo, NY and to the everyday interactions and incidents that drive us apart and fuel those incidents when they go unaddressed.”
The conversation continues with author Claudia Rankine herself who will visit the library via Zoom on Wednesday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss her book, power, race and class, and how individuals can help build inclusive communities.
The community is invited to participate in the discussion with Rankine live from the library or from home. RSVP options, zoom links, program information, and access to related resources can be found on the library’s website at benicialibrary.org/book-to-action.
Copies of Just Us are available to check out from the library in print and ebook formats. Participants do not need to read Rankine’s book to participate in this or any of the Book to Action programs.
About Just Us and Claudia Rankine
Just Us: An American Conversation, her most recent publication, is a collection of essays in which she questions what it means to interrogate white privilege, well-meaning liberal politics, and more. The title was a finalist for the 2021 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. From the publisher, “As everyday white supremacy becomes increasingly vocalized with no clear answers at hand, how best might we approach one another? Claudia Rankine, without telling us what to do, urges us to begin the discussions that might open pathways through this divisive and stuck moment in American history.”
Rankine lives in New Haven, CT and teaches at Yale University as the Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry.
About Book to Action
Book to Action is a program supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. Book to Action seeks to inspire individuals and communities to explore and tackle important issues by encouraging reading, community discussion, and action around themes of equity, sustainability, and health.
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Find Summer Fun in the Rec Guide |
Summer registration for recreation programs is open! There is still room in many of the summer camps, as well as classes and swim programs.
Online registration makes scheduling your summer quick and easy. If you don’t have an online account, contact the Parks and Community Services Department at 707.746.4285 to set up online access. The Summer RecGuide is available in digital format on the website at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/recguide and through the BeniciaRec mobile app at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/app.
Don't forget to check out Recreation Special Events listed on page 4 of the guide!
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Every Wednesday, Benicia Senior Center hosts a Café for citizens age 50+.
Join fellow seniors for some coffee and sweet treats; and perhaps a little friendly game of Dominos or Mahjongg. Or, just enjoy some wonderful conversation while relaxing and sipping on your beverage in cozy in-house library.
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The impact of the ongoing pandemic on the supply chain and the recent 2022 Abbott recall of certain powdered formulas has led to periodic infant formula shortages for all consumers. The federal government is currently working on strategies to increase production of formula and help families access existing stock.
How can I buy baby formula at the store?
Save a trip to the grocery store, call ahead and ask if there is stock of the type of infant formula you need to purchase. Check smaller stores and drug stores, which may not be out of supply when the bigger stores are. If you can afford it, buy formula online until store shortages ease. Purchase from well-recognized distributors and pharmacies rather than individually sold or auction sites.
What if you can’t find formula?
If the type of formula you use is not available, switching to a different FDA approved formula may be an option. Check with your healthcare provider if you have questions on how to transition to another formula.
Is homemade baby formula safe?
Although recipes for homemade baby formulas on the internet may seem like an answer to the formula shortage, they can be dangerous for your baby’s health. It is important that your baby use products that meet federal standards to ensure the formula is safe and free of harmful bacteria. A baby's nutritional needs are very specific, especially in the first year of life. Homemade infant formulas may contain too little or too much of certain nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals (like iron) which could make your baby sick. Homemade infant formula may have an increased risk of contamination, which could lead to babies developing an infection.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly advises against homemade formula as this can be dangerous for your baby’s health. Babies need the right balance of nutrients to grow and be healthy. Learn about more options for you and your family at https://www.hhs.gov/formula.
Additional Resources
The Women, Infant, and Children Supplemental Program (WIC) provides benefits that can be used to purchase formula. WIC provides formula to moms who do not breastfeed. WIC generally provides all the formula to meet your baby’s nutritional need. The formula amounts provided vary based on baby’s age. For mothers who are partially breastfeeding (both breastfeeding and using formula) and getting low on infant formula, producing more milk may help. This involves breastfeeding more often, so your body produces more milk. WIC recognizes that breastfeeding is not easy, but WIC is here to provide support, information, and experts to eligible families interested in increasing milk supply. For those not on WIC and eligibility requirements, complete the following form to begin your application: https://bit.ly/English_WIC-Screening-Form (English) or https://bit.ly/Spanish_WIC-Screening-Form (Spanish).
For those feeding their babies with formula, the following is a great resource on feeding tips, how much formula, and preparation: https://bit.ly/FeedingFormula
Additional Recall & Safety Information
Here are some links with additional resources:
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Historic Preservation Month Continues |
The Benicia Divino Espirito Santo (B.D.E.S.) Hall, which translates to Divine Holy Ghost Hall, is also know locally as the Portuguese Hall. This building is a local landmark in Benicia’s Downtown Historic District at 140 West J Street. This building was originally constructed in 1915, and was one of seven Portuguese lodges in Benicia, but is the only one still standing. It is a prominent, two-story building on a street lined with century-old palm trees.
The Holy Ghost Society is common to Portuguese immigrant settlements around the world. It is a Portuguese religious and social organization, and it has been a local Benicia organization since 1907.
The architecture of the building is described in Benicia’s survey of historic buildings (2004) as “an interesting and unusual example of a Mission Style building executed in wood…The building appears to have had little alteration and retains integrity of design, material, workmanship, setting, and association” The evaluation also states that “In close proximity to the earlier Masonic Lodge, the building, along with its neighbor, speaks to the role of social and fraternal associations of the 19th and early 20th century town” (Roland 2004:2). In a Historic Context Statement document prepared for the City of Benicia in 2010, Benicia’s Portuguese Holy Ghost Society is listed as an example of such a social organization and the theme of social institutions which “focuses on varied formal and informal structure through which people express values and that shape their daily lives”.
The Portuguese Hall is a well-loved building and contributes to our historical landscape and the history and character of our town Benicia. It is home to Benicia Theatre Group productions and is available to rent for special occasions. It is one of many important historical buildings providing us with a sense-of-place in our history-rich town.
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Originally from LA, Megan Simpson grew up in Benicia and graduated from Benicia High School in 2005. She loved growing up in such a wonderful town and enjoys being able to give back to the community she knows so well. She enjoys assisting the community and its citizens in any way she can.
Megan started her career with the City of Benicia in 2004 in the Parks and Community Services Department as a part-time recreation leader for the Kids K and Adventures Day Camp Program. She was hired full-time in 2013 as a Recreation Specialist. She worked for the Parks and Community Services Department from 2004 until 2019. During her time with Parks and Community Services, she held multiple position where she was able to serve the community and make a difference in so many ways. She moved over to the Finance Department in July 2019 as a Senior Account Clerk for Accounts Receivable and now works as an Accounting Technician for Utility Billing.
In her free time, she loves to spend time with her husband Max and their two dogs Tucker (2 year old Chocolate Lab) and Bennett (4 month old Golden Retriever). They love to go camping, watching and attending sporting events (Go Dodgers, A’s and Raiders!), doing weekend getaways to Tahoe, spending time with family and friends and working on home improvement projects together.
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City of Benicia This Week is published each Monday morning. Previous editions are available here. We also communicate on Nextdoor.com and AlertSolano.com. Sign up now!
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