ABOUT THE BENICIA INDEPENDENT

[sta_anchor id=”top” /]By Roger Straw

Here’s a little history on the BenIndy (as it has come to be known), what it IS and what it IS NOT, what it WAS and what it IS NO LONGER…

Benicia resident and journalist Roger Straw founded the Benicia Independent in November 2007, in response to widely perceived local attacks on the free press when the Benicia Herald editor was fired. Additional cutbacks in staffing at our local newspapers, the Benicia Herald and the Vallejo Times-Herald have since made the BenIndy an increasingly essential and highly respected source of news, information and commentary for the Benicia community, and beyond.

From the beginning, Roger positioned the Benicia Independent as his personal blog with a decidedly liberal political perspective. “The Benicia Independent is not and does not present itself as a mainstream news medium with ‘balanced’ coverage and a staff of reporters who interview and investigate.” In support of his advocacy, he maintained high ethical standards, citing sources and maintaining truthfulness and courtesy. 

The Benicia Independent has never been a social media forum.  The care and feeding of an online community was always beyond the reserves of BenIndy editorial time and energy. The BenIndy serves Benicia and beyond with critical commentary, lively opinion, and occasional breaking news stories.

Since 2007, the BenIndy has championed local, state and national electoral candidates, kept eyes on the environment, and spoken out for gun control, racial, cultural and gender justice, immigration reform and more. The Independent played an especially vital role in a successful 3-year public campaign to stop Valero Benicia Refinery’s dangerous and dirty crude by rail proposal.

In 2023, Roger retired from more than 25 years of public service in Benicia (more about Roger). In 2023, he enabled a transition team to transform the Benicia Independent into a NEW BenIndy. The transition team worked for nearly 2 years to keep the new BenIndy thriving, publishing submissions from community authors. The transition was ably and led by Benician Nathalie Christian who devoted countless hours to the effort. 

In November of 2024, the BenIndy went into a final stage, posting only the occasional news story, op ed or comic bit that particularly stands out or appeals to “Roger in Retirement.”

There are no plans to take down the old pages and posts here. They provide an interesting and informative historical archive for Benicia over the years 2007-2024.