San Ramon Police Chief Denton Carlson Announces Retirement
San Ramon Police Chief Denton Carlson has announced his retirement, ending a career in law enforcement that spans more than 27 years, including more than two decades of service to the City of San Ramon. Chief Carlson will retire in December 2025, having served as the City’s fifth Chief of Police since his appointment in…
DA Announces Settlement With C&H Sugar Company For Air Emission Violations
From the Office of the District Attorney: Martinez, California – Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton announced today (Tuesday, Sept. 16) a settlement with C&H Sugar Company Inc. for odor violations in 2022. The emissions violations by C&H Sugar occurred on various dates between September 8th and October 14th, 2022, at a wastewater treatment…
The Rising Curmudgeon: Crime Seens; Paperless Shilling; Tip’Er More
Contrary to our perceived public-facing scowl we’ve been in a pretty good mood lately. The News Thing is humming along. So is the coffee maker. Our lines of communication are open and thrumming. People seem to like us. Life is good – except for the Alabama Debt Collectors, occasional Mental Midgetry, and General Fumb Duckery…
Teen Killed In Fall While Watching Crockett Sideshow
California Highway Patrol investigators say a 16-year-old boy died when he fell 75 feet from the Pomona Street on-ramp to I-80 westbound while maneuvering for a better view of an ongoing Crockett sideshow. Officers were called to that location at approximately 3:26a.m. on Saturday after receiving calls of a large sideshow involving more than 100…
Top Chef, Former Walnut Creek Restaurant Owner – Arrested After Three Same-Day Bank Robberies
A Bay Area chef known for his groundbreaking Italian cuisine and a much-publicized bank robbery arrest in Orinda in 2018 has been re-arrested in San Francisco after allegedly robbing three San Francisco banks in a single day. Valentino Luchin, 62, former executive chef at San Francisco’s Rose Pistola in North Beach and former owner of…
Sign Of The Times…
Helluva week around these parts and further abroad. Like many of you, we’re hanging on and waiting for the compass to re-align. This seemed to sum things up nicely.
Martinez Man Charged With Attempted Enticement And Coercion Of A Minor
From the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California OAKLAND – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Joel Lawrence Benitzhar with the federal crime of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor victim to engage in illegal sexual conduct. Benitzhar was arrested yesterday (Thursday, Sept. 11) and made his initial appearance in federal district…
Felony Car Stop Attracts Attention In Danville Wednesday
Lotsa LEOs (police) at Crow Canyon and Camino Tassajara in Danville on Wednesday after police spotted a car they wanted for a recent armed robbery. A police helicopter hovered overhead briefly in support of several ground units taking part in the coordinated felony stop (guns out and up). The activity attracted some attention and more…
Suspect Wanted For 2003 Bay Area Bombings Facing Extradition – From Wales
A Sonoma County man wanted for bombing two Bay Area businesses he accused of abusing animals and who managed to elude FBI agents in hot pursuit 21 years ago by disappearing into a San Francisco fog has been located, arrested, and is facing extradition back to the United States. Daniel Andreas San Diego, formerly of…
California Coastal Cleanup Day, September 20
Date/Time Date(s) – 09/20/2025 12:00 am Categories Civic Event Community Cleanup Join the Trashure Hunt! This year, California Coastal Cleanup Day will become the world’s largest scavenger hunt. Special “trash” items will be hidden at cleanup sites all across the state. If you find one of them, you can redeem it for valuable prizes! Find…