Muir vs. the Martini in Martinez

It's THURSDAY, April 21, 2011. Some good news to start things off: the City Council approved a new mural last night for the Main Street Plaza - it will depict a number of iconic figures from the city's history, including John Muir, the John Muir Home, a steam train, Joe DiMaggio, Alhambra Water, and the Pony Express. One thing it does not depict is a martini, and this was duly noted several times during the discussion of the item by Councilwoman Lara DeLaney. "Two Muirs, no martini," was one of the ways she pointed it out. That a martini is not one of the celebrated icons of the city on a mural in the middle of Main Street at the eye level of most 8-year-olds is probably not the worst decision, but we understand where Ms. DeLaney is coming from. That Martinez is the alleged home of the drink is something we could leverage as a marketing tool to all kinds of would-be downtown visitors, who would doubtless come down to find which had the better libation, College Lane, Ray's or The Station. . .

1. The other day we posted a video of the "" parading through the streets of Martinez, doing a drill. We had never seen this before, and it was pretty cool. Turns out that they were from the Diablo Squadron and Training Ship United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps, and they train once a month right here in town. They are seeking more Martinez residents (right now there is one) for this co-ed program, so if you know someone who is between the ages of 10 and 17, go here. By the way, the video caption mistakenly identifies the group as Sea Scouts. They are not — that's a separate organization, and we apologize for the error.
2. Read all about the new pool fees later today in Patch. If you want the quick version, here it is : Adults will pay $5, seniors 55 and older will pay $4 and kids 3-17 will pay $2.50. Kids younger than 3 get in free. The new pool will open in July.
3. Want to take a hike? Tomorrow you can join Patch's own Scott Williams as he leads a group from the Alhambra Hills Open Space Committee and other interested folks on a hike up Mount Wanda, from where you can see quite a bit of the Alhambra Highlands property. It's also a great time to see the wildflowers blooming, so even if you don't have an interest in this issue, you can see some of the city's best scenery right now, and there is no entry fee. The time is 6 p.m., and the meeting location is at the very end of Canyon Way, behind the John Muir House.
4. The are at Armando's tonight, and if you have yet to see them, you should remedy that situation ASAP. This band plays an infectious blend of New Orleans-tinged blues and barrelhouse. They're like nothing you've heard before, yet you'll swear you've heard them somewhere else. Great stuff, right here at home.
5. Finally, a 49-unit senior housing project known as Berrellessa Palms is on hold, according to a story in the Contra Costa Times. Apparently the developer is struggling to find state and federal housing grants to build the affordable senior apartments, which were the source of neighborhood opposition during a series of Planning Commission and City Council hearings last year.