Tag Archives: City of Benicia

Benicia City Council, Benicia parks, City of Benicia

Swings will soon return to downtown’s Playground of Dreams

Swings will be installed at the Playground of Dreams on First Street in Benicia within the next six weeks. The historic wooden play structure at the downtown park requires major restoration work that won’t likely begin until 2030.

The Benicia Bridge, By Laura López González, April  26, 2026

Benicia’s Playground of Dreams was built in 1992. Famed playground architect Robert S. Leathers used local schoolchildren’s drawings as inspiration, which gave rise to the structure’s iconic dragon slide. Credit: Benicia Friends of the Playground

Swings are expected to return to downtown’s Playground of Dreams in the next six weeks. The new, donated equipment will be the first swings at the City Park in five years, said Dan Smith of the local nonprofit Benicia Friends of the Playground. Smith was speaking at Tuesday’s City Hall meeting.
… [Continued on The Benicia Bridge…]

Reposted from The Benicia Bridge
Excellent reporting from Benicia’s newest award-winning journalism duo, Monica Vaughan and Laura López González. – Roger Straw
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Benicia City Council, Cal/OSHA, City of Benicia, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero's Community Advisory Panel (CAP)

Valero Benicia Refinery delayed reporting the March flare tower incident that caused shelter-in-place

March 26 refinery “material release” remains under investigation…

A black plume erupted from a flare tower at the Valero Benicia Refinery March 26, prompting a voluntary shelter-in-place order from the city. Photo taken in the Hillcrest neighborhood by Benicia resident and small business owner, Jamie Jang.

The Benicia Bridge, By Laura López González & Monica Vaughan, April  18, 2026

Valero delayed reporting the March 26 flare-tower “material release,” which remains under investigation by several agencies. The plant may not have reported the flaring to state authorities at all, had it not been for Solano County officials’ urging.

A distinctive black plume from one of Valero’s three flare stacks made local headlines in March. Unsure of what was being spilled into the air, Benicia Fire Chief Josh Chadwick issued a voluntary shelter-in-place warning for the city, as previously reported by The Benicia Bridge. NBC News reported that about two dozen Valero workers were sent to the hospital with chemical burns caused by cleaning chemicals involved in the incident. Company officials denied that happened.

Earlier this week … [Continued on The Benicia Bridge…]

Reposted with permission, The Benicia Bridge
Excellent reporting from Benicia’s newest award-winning journalism duo, Monica Vaughan and Laura López González. – Roger Straw
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Benicia Fire Department, City of Benicia, Valero Benicia Refinery, Valero's Community Advisory Panel (CAP)

Valero laid off its Benicia firefighter crew, hopes for outside aid in case of tank fire

Final Community Advisory Panel meeting: Who will respond if there is trouble?

The stacks at Benicia’s Valero refinery have gone cold but layoffs during company’s transition away from refining have also cost the plant its dedicated fire brigade.

The Benicia Bridge, by Laura López González, April  17, 2026

Valero laid off its refinery firefighters in Benicia. Now, company executives have said they hope to rely on the Benicia Fire Department, contractors, and neighboring refineries to provide the manpower needed to tackle a future fire.

Valero completed its latest round of layoffs this week, leaving about 70 employees, General Manager Lauren Bird said Tuesday at the refinery’s final community advisory panel meeting. About 20 employees will be left alongside contractors as the plant continues to import, store and distribute gas and diesel in the near future. The company will no longer import jet fuel through Benicia, citing easier routes to support airports, Valero Section Business Law Chief David Giles said at the meeting. Valero will use a fraction of its tanks for storage.

Among the layoffs were Valero’s own firefighters, leaving serious questions … [Continued on The Benicia Bridge…]

Reposted with permission, The Benicia Bridge
Excellent reporting from Benicia’s newest award-winning journalism duo, Monica Vaughan and Laura López González. – Roger Straw
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Benicia City Council, City of Benicia, Valero Benicia Refinery

End of Era: Valero has closed Benicia refinery, plans total exit

Company representative says Valero has no plans for a “tank farm” and will likely leave in the next two years

Valero Benicia Refinery is now closed. Picture by Tye Moody taken Feb. 4, 2026.

The Benicia Bridge, by Laura López González, April  16, 2026

For the first time in nearly 60 years, Benicia’s refinery stacks have gone quiet as Valero has officially stopped refining at the plant, general manager and vice president, Lauren Bird, confirmed Tuesday.

About 60 employees are expected to remain at the Benicia refinery following another round of layoffs Wednesday — a fraction of the roughly 400 employees once employed at the refinery.

Bird said about 20 employees will ultimately be left at the facility after the layoffs conclude. These workers — alongside contractors — will help Valero continue importing, storing, and distributing gasoline and diesel fuel, Bird said.

Valero will no longer supply jet fuel … [Continued on The Benicia Bridge]

Story by Laura López González of The Benicia Bridge.
This excellent reporting comes from Benicia’s newest award-winning journalism duo, Monica Vaughan and Laura López González. Their online publication is The Benicia Bridge. – Roger Straw
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