Drift Smoke From Benicia Refinery Fire/Martinez Flaring Event Raising Eyebrows Monday
Black drift smoke from an apparent fire at the Benicia Valero refinery and an apparent release from the Martinez Refining Company had fire and air quality officials scrambling early Monday morning while residents fretted about the source of the smoke and any potential impacts. Contra Costa Health has dispatched a HazMat team to Martinez to…
Very Cool Cars – Just A Little Light On The Mileage
One of those Walnut Creek Slice of “Lambo Life” photos we see from time to time, this chap rolling to a stop not far from the dealership after a loss of Dino Juice on Thursday. Luckily, Lamborghini owners have their own traveling pit crews to assist with re-fueling procedures, and some have resorted to having…
Another Ram Raid – This Time In Orinda
Another Ram And Grab raid, this time in Orinda as thieves smash through the front doors of a local CVS in an apparent attempt to secure its ATM machine. Orinda PD provided the details later in the day, saying their officers were searching for a stolen car in the area of Brookwood Road and Camino…
CoCo Snippets: Monday Thunder Run; Whining And Dining; Marching, Charging Feet; La Marseillaise Moment
Well, okay, we were going to keep this light this morning but The News Gods said: “Nope, nossiree, no way...” and we’re on the very hot pursuit of armed bank robbery suspects from Concord to San Jose this morning. Our Flashers started checking in as a getaway Chrysler running south on I680 hit Walnut Creek…
24/680 Locals Take Part In A National Day Of Protest
On a nationwide Day Of Action, sizable crowds turned out in Concord and Walnut Creek and elsewhere in the Bay Area to protest the actions of the Trump administration. No major problems were reported.
Injury Crash Paralyzes Traffic On Ygnacio Valley Road Monday
A grinding 2-car collision on Ygnacio Valley Road at Lennon Lane Monday sent at least one person to the hospital and one vehicle cleaved in half at the scene. The crash was reported at 9:03am and resulted in closure of the roadway until 10:44am, when the wreckage could be hauled away. Details of what led…
Eyes On The Markets Monday
We’ll say we’re woefully unprepared to discuss the subtle differences between Keynes and Friedman and Hayek and their approaches to the finer points of the economy but we have no debt, our coffee fund is full and we can balance the checkbook with the cowboy on it our bank gave us when we started out…
Largest Crowd Turns Out For Anti-Administration Protest In Walnut Creek Saturday
Sizable crowds (est. 2,500+) spilled into the streets during anti-Trump/Musk protest in downtown Walnut Creek on Saturday. Parking was described as sparse as the largest crowd to participate in what has become a regular protest against the current administration flooded the downtown area. Aerial view of scene linked below: 4-5-25 The sheer size of the…
Worker Injured In Martinez Refining Company Fire Wednesday
A worker was airlifted from Martinez Refining Company (MRC) property Wednesday after a fire was reported on site. The company issued a brief statement following the incident: At approximately 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, a portable air compressor at the refinery caught on fire while being refueled by a contract worker, who was…
Banger And A Turtle Ties Up Traffic On Olympic Boulevard
Two cars tangling at Olympic Boulevard and Alpine in Walnut Creek pushed one into a graceful pirouette onto its roof (full Turtle) and created a traffic slog for those in their wake on Monday. The crash was reported at 2:55pm. Advisories were issued to avoid the area but traffic was significantly impacted. There were no…