Letters to the Editor | Feb. 8, 2021 Regarding the proposed use of the old State Farm building on the waterfront as a new police station, this is clearly at odds with Vallejo’s General Plan Update (GPU), adopted by the Vallejo City Council in 2017. A major focus of the plan was on improvements thatContinue reading “Brendan Riley: Why is Vallejo ignoring its own General Plan?”
Author Archives: John Glidden
Relatives of Willie McCoy, other impacted families to rally for police reform in Sacramento on Tuesday
by John Glidden | Feb. 8, 2021 VALLEJO – The families of relatives killed by law enforcement will rally at the California State Capitol on Tuesday to demand police reform, according to a press release from local civil rights attorney Melissa Nold on behalf of the impacted families. The rally will also mark the second anniversaryContinue reading “Relatives of Willie McCoy, other impacted families to rally for police reform in Sacramento on Tuesday”
Officials: Website issue shouldn’t affect Vallejo meetings
by John Glidden | Feb. 6, 2021 VALLEJO – A hardware issue with Vallejo’s website vendor, Intrado/West, won’t affect Tuesday night’s Vallejo City Council meetings, city spokeswoman Christina Lee told JohnGlidden.com Saturday night. Lee confirmed that upcoming meetings will be hosted on a temporary webpage the city has created in response to the outage. The outage,Continue reading “Officials: Website issue shouldn’t affect Vallejo meetings”
Vallejo City Council to mull purchase of 10 license plate readers for Mare Island
by John Glidden | Feb. 5, 2021 VALLEJO – The Vallejo City Council will be asked Tuesday to approve the purchase 10 automated license plate readers (ALPR) for use on Mare Island. In a written report to the council, Vallejo police Chief Shawny Williams said the readers will “enhance the security of Mare Island and addContinue reading “Vallejo City Council to mull purchase of 10 license plate readers for Mare Island”
City of Vallejo websites offline since Thursday afternoon; officials say outage not ransomware attack
by John Glidden | Feb. 4, 2021 VALLEJO – An unspecified hardware failure is being blamed for knocking the city of Vallejo websites offline for nearly two days. As of 10 a.m. Saturday, both http://www.cityofvallejo.net and vallejopd.net were still offline, more than 44 hours after they first became unavailable for use. Vallejo spokeswoman Christina Lee confirmedContinue reading “City of Vallejo websites offline since Thursday afternoon; officials say outage not ransomware attack”
City of Vallejo hires third risk manager since 2018
by John Glidden | Feb. 3, 2021 VALLEJO – One of the city’s top administrative positions was recently filled for the third time since August 2018. City officials announced at the Jan. 26 Vallejo City Council meeting that Armond Sarkis has been hired as risk manager to oversee and manage the city’s liabilities. Sarkis replaces ErikaContinue reading “City of Vallejo hires third risk manager since 2018”
Vallejo councilwoman speaks out against use of waterfront property as new VPD headquarters
by John Glidden | Feb. 2, 2021 VALLEJO – Councilwoman Tina Arriola took to social media on Tuesday to express her displeasure over a 2019 Vallejo City Council decision to purchase property along the city’s waterfront and transform it into the new police headquarters. In an interview with JohnGlidden.com, Arriola confirmed that her request to agendizeContinue reading “Vallejo councilwoman speaks out against use of waterfront property as new VPD headquarters”
Councilman Brown confronts commission applicant who posted racial slur about him
by John Glidden | Feb. 1, 2021 VALLEJO – Tensions boiled over during a special Vallejo City Council meeting Monday night after Councilman Hakeem Brown confronted a commission applicant who posted a racial slur about him on social media last year. Brown pressed Julie Stratton, who is white, to explain herself after she wrote in aContinue reading “Councilman Brown confronts commission applicant who posted racial slur about him”
Vallejo pays $52,500 to settle excessive lawsuit brought by man filming traffic stop
by John Glidden | Feb. 1, 2021 VALLEJO – The city has settled an excessive force lawsuit brought by a local man who was thrown to the ground and choked as he recorded his interaction with Vallejo police Officer Jarrett Tonn in April 2017, according to a settlement agreement obtained by JohnGlidden.com. Last September, Vallejo officialsContinue reading “Vallejo pays $52,500 to settle excessive lawsuit brought by man filming traffic stop”
Benicia council to approve new contract with Upson
by John Glidden | Jan. 27, 2021 BENICIA – Two weeks after naming Erik Upson as the permanent city manager, the Benicia City Council will meet on Tuesday to approve Upson’s employment contract. Upson will earn a monthly salary of $19,952, good for a base salary of $239,424 per year, according to his employment contract. TheContinue reading “Benicia council to approve new contract with Upson”
Vallejo City Council OKs new flag policy
by John Glidden | Jan. 27, 2021 VALLEJO – The Vallejo City Council signed off on a new flag policy at its meeting Tuesday night codifying the process on how flags can be displayed on city-owned flagpoles. The new policy requires the council first adopt a resolution authorizing the display of any commemorative flags at eitherContinue reading “Vallejo City Council OKs new flag policy”
GVRD board to honor Karen Sims on Thursday
by John Glidden | Jan. 26, 2021 VALLEJO – On Thursday, the Greater Vallejo Recreation District Board of Directors will hold a moment of silence to honor former Director Karen Sims who died suddenly on Dec. 11. She was 67. A community activist, Sims was appointed to the board of directors in December 2019 Sims alsoContinue reading “GVRD board to honor Karen Sims on Thursday”
Vallejo officers cleared of any wrongdoing in McCoy shooting
by John Glidden | Jan. 14, 2021 VALLEJO – A special prosecutor has determined that six Vallejo police officers were “legally justified,” when they shot and killed 20-year-old Willie McCoy outside a local Taco Bell in February 2019. Michael Ramos declined to bring charges against officers Anthony Cano, Ryan McMahon, Collin Eaton, Bryan Glick, Jordon Patzer,Continue reading “Vallejo officers cleared of any wrongdoing in McCoy shooting”
Rep. Thompson to hold webinar on Coronavirus Relief for Small Businesses
JohnGlidden.com staff report | Jan. 13, 2021 Congressman Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, will host a webinar on Coronavirus relief for small businesses this Friday, Thompson’s office announced. All constituents in California’s Fifth Congressional District are invited to join the webinar which will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST. Thompson’s office said thisContinue reading “Rep. Thompson to hold webinar on Coronavirus Relief for Small Businesses”
[Brief] Congressman Thompson gets COVID-19 vaccine
JohnGlidden.com staff report | Dec. 19, 2020 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The office of Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, announced that on Saturday the congressman received the first of two injections for the COVID-19 vaccine. The dose was received at the advice of the House Attending Physician for continuity of government purposes and he will receiveContinue reading “[Brief] Congressman Thompson gets COVID-19 vaccine”
[Brief] Vallejo closes city hall due to COVID-19 surge
JohnGlidden.com staff report | Dec. 19, 2020 VALLEJO – Due to a sharp increase in COVID-19 case, Vallejo City Hall and the Vallejo Police Department lobby are closed to the general public, city officials announced this week. Officials said city hall staff will keep “providing service to the public remotely, just as they did earlier thisContinue reading “[Brief] Vallejo closes city hall due to COVID-19 surge”
GVRD Director Karen Sims dies
by John Glidden | Dec. 11, 2020 VALLEJO – Activist, and Greater Vallejo Recreation District Director Karen Sims suddenly died Friday, Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan confirmed to JohnGlidden.com. It wasn’t immediately known how Sims died. The mayor praised Sims, who served as Sampayan’s campaign manager when he was elected mayor in 2016. “She was my friend,”Continue reading “GVRD Director Karen Sims dies”
[Brief] Vallejo police asking for public’s help to ID Peeping Tom
JohnGlidden.com staff report | Dec. 2, 2020 VALLEJO – Authorities are asking for the public’s help to identify a man accused of trying to record women using the bathroom at the Cardenas grocery market, Vallejo police said Wednesday night. The man is accused of entering a restroom stall, next to a stall occupied by a woman,Continue reading “[Brief] Vallejo police asking for public’s help to ID Peeping Tom”
Benicia council to say goodbye to outgoing mayor
by John Glidden | Nov. 30, 2020 BENICIA – Outgoing Benicia Mayor Elizabeth Patterson will be honored on Tuesday by elected officials after nearly 20 years of public service on the City Council. Patterson, who was first elected to the City Council in 2003, began her run as mayor when she was elected to the positionContinue reading “Benicia council to say goodbye to outgoing mayor”
[Brief] Vallejo reaches 29 homicides in 2020
JohnGlidden.com staff report | Nov. 30, 2020 VALLEJO – With just a month left in 2020, the city of Vallejo recorded its 29th homicide of the year when a 20-year-old Sacramento man was shot and killed in north Vallejo over the weekend, the Vallejo Police Department announced on Monday. Vallejo police said they received reports ofContinue reading “[Brief] Vallejo reaches 29 homicides in 2020”
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