California's Blueprint for a Safer Economy ended on June 15, reopening the state. Restaurants, shopping malls, movie theaters, and most everyday places reopened as usual with no capacity limits or social distancing required. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has indicated masking guidelines are revised, and face coverings are no longer required for fully vaccinated persons when outdoors or indoors in public spaces except as required by local businesses or Cal/OSHA. Anyone can still wear a mask if they would like, especially around children and others who are vulnerable or not yet eligible for vaccination.

Click here to find more information about living and working beyond the blueprint from Solano County Public Health.

Thousands of people are injured each year by fireworks around the 4^th of July. Not only do fireworks present a danger of causing physical injuries, they also cause fires. With the devastating destruction of whole neighborhoods due to wildfires caused by errant sparks, and our current drought conditions, the Benicia Fire Department is concerned about the very real threat of open space fires caused by illegal fireworks. For these reasons, ALL fireworks are illegal in Benicia, subjecting the user to arrest and prosecution.

The City’s Parks and Community Services Department is leading an Independence Day Decorating Contest. From now until Tuesday, June 29, stop by Benicia Community Center at 370 East L Street or Benicia Main Street at 90 First Street to pick up a Spirit of Benicia sign and begin decorating for Independence Day. Decorations may by as small or as grand as desired; from homes to front doors to mailboxes, from cars to bikes to trikes, or whole streets and neighborhoods, or simply just the sign itself. 100 prizes of $100 Shop Benicia eGift cards will be awarded in a random drawing on Wednesday, June 30. More information may be found at https://www.ci.benicia.ca.us/spiritofbenicia.

As was done in the past, the City is always operating in Stage 1. Stage 1 will be rescinded if and when a more restrictive stage becomes necessary. Click here to review the amended ordinance and see the requirement of Stage 1 Water Alert (up to 10%).

Public Works staff want to take this opportunity to thank our customers for continuing to use water efficiently. Questions and comments may be sent to [email protected].

Those interested in the Easter Gateway Study Area are invited to an Open House on Tuesday, June 29 at 6 p.m. at Benicia Community Center, 370 East L Street. The Study Session will be followed by a Study Session by the Planning Commission on Thursday, July 8 via Zoom. Additional details are available at www.ci.benicia.ca.us/easterngateway.

There will be two meetings where community members can learn about the site and provide input for the City Council’s consideration. The first meeting will be held virtually via zoom on Thursday, July 1, 6 - 8 p.m. (https://zoom.us/join Meeting ID: 893 1318 7498). The second meeting will be held in-person on Tuesday, July 6 at the Benicia Community Center, located at 370 E. L Street. Please RSVP if you intend to attend this meeting at  https://forms.gle/XwAQUbSDLeCoU1ik6

Looking for a new job or a change in career? The City of Benicia Human Resources Division is accepting applications for the following positions:

To apply for any of these positions, the application and supplemental forms may be found online, then click the job title. Employment applications may also be obtained from, and must be returned to, Human Resources at 250 East L Street, Benicia. Sign up with Job Interest Cards to be notified of future position openings when they occur.

The Solano Youth Coalition (SYC) has current openings. The SYC builds partnerships for positive and healthy youth development which engage youth as active leaders and resources in their communities. The SYC is a youth led coalition that provides opportunities for youth to build capacity and commitment for life-long involvement in health promotion. The SYC is comprised of youth from Solano County’s high schools and colleges and is supported by an advisory team of adults.

To apply to the SYC, youth must complete the 2021-22 online application. Coalition Leaders will review applications in the first week of August, then make contact for follow-up interview.

Coalition members are expected to participate in bi-weekly meetings, (online web meetings, teleconferences, or in-person) attend leadership trainings, and contribute to coalition projects and activities on a monthly basis. A new member orientation will be scheduled in August.

For more information visit https://www.solanocoe.net/solanoyouthcoalition or contact Johanna Nowak-Palmer at [email protected] or call 707.646.7608.

Each year the Solano County Superior Court Judges identify qualified citizens who might serve on the Civil Grand Jury. Nominations for prospective jurors are made by the Judges themselves and other public elected officials.

Solano County residents are urged to volunteer for service on the Civil Grand Jury. Those recommended are interviewed by a Superior Court Judge, Court Executive Officer, and the Civil Grand Jury Foreperson. Based on the results of interviews, a pool of qualified jury candidates is created and these citizens are invited to appear in the Superior Court of the Presiding Judge. Names are then drawn randomly by the Clerk of the Court.

The new Civil Grand Jury will consist of second-term jurors, plus new members, to make a total of nineteen jurors. All nineteen are sworn and given a description of their duties and responsibilities by the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court. These citizens begin their one year term on July 1st.

Information on qualifications, commitment & compensation of the Civil Grand Jury is available at https://solano.courts.ca.gov/divisions/grand-jury/apply/

The Board of Directors initiated a public hearing on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 to consider adoption of the proposed amendments to Rule 6-5 and will continue the public hearing on Wednesday, July 21.

Click here to learn about the Air District's process for developing the amendments, and find out about the status and anticipated timeline of the rule development process, as well as supporting documents and materials.

Evan enjoys improving services and the way the City does its work. Most recently, Evan took the lead on the development and implementation of the City’s new online permit center. This work, which has involved months of coordination with software engineers, permitting departments, and city records, was complex and required consistent focus. The new permit center streamlines application processes and provides an opportunity for the community to apply for and track their permit applications online. In the days since the launch, Evan has dedicated himself to troubleshooting and training employees to ensure the successful implementation of this new permit approach.

Find resources and information for seniors, local food access, basic needs and rental assistance, mental health, stress and coping, and more courtesy of Solano County Public Health. Benicia residents in need of help during these difficult times may find assistance through these local resources: