Today is MONDAY, May 23, 2011. Where were you Saturday evening when the 3.6 magnitude earthquake hit? There were some around town who didn't feel it - most I spoke with did. It was more than a little interesting, given the prediction by a preacher in Oakland that the world would be coming to an end that particular day. The guy was good at marketing -- his billboards captured the attention of a lot of folks, most of whom were amused, some of whom took him seriously. Consequently, there are people today who are sorely disappointed that the world did not come to a crashing end on Saturday. I'm sure that preacher is one of them. However, it is never a good idea to be precise about end-of-the-world predictions. All of them have, to date, been wrong. And I, for one, am glad about that. I like it here. For all the fighting, bad driving, crowded waiting rooms, vapid television, rude people who talk in theaters and concerts, and proliferation of junk food, not to mention forlorn economies, this is a planet full of wonder and magnificence - a daily feast of tiny little miracles that bloom, often beneath our attention. It's definitely a place worth saving.
- The Board meets tonight at 7 p.m. in the district office board room, 921 Susana St. Among the items on the agenda are a presentation on the Technology Integration Plan, the addition of a calculus class at the high school, and the approval of the food service contract with Sodexo.
- There are no city meetings this week - the Planning Commission and Design Review Committee meetings have both been cancelled.
- The final "Ooh, Ahhs and Giggles" show happens this week -- Wednesday, to be exact -- at Martinez City Hall. This event, sponsored by the Martinez Restaurant Tour, is for young children, and this week it's "Fur, Scales and Tails." The show, which is free, begins at 3:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers, 525 Henrietta St.
- Do you have a point of view you'd like to share with the world? If you are interested in becoming a blogger for Martinez Patch, send an email to jim.caroompas@patch.com.
- Watch for a story later today on Martinez Patch about a police department program this week aimed at making sure everyone in your car is wearing a seat belt. Enforcement of the seat belt law is ramping up, so, as they say, "click it or ticket."
