'Gambling Halls to City of Homes' – Talk at Library

For those interested in El Cerrito history, there will be an illustrated talk at the library tonight, Thursday, by writer and Historical Society Vice President Dave Weinstein on the city's old, quirky and architecturally interesting builidings.

We're happy to note that Dave Weinstein – a resident author, lecturer for the El Cerrito Historical Society and occasional contributor to El Cerrito Patch – will give an illustrated presentation tonight, Thursday, at the El Cerrito Library: "Gambling Halls to City of Homes.” The free presentation is sponsored by the Friends of the El Cerrito Library. Refreshments will be served at 7:15 with the talk beginning at 7:30. The announcement for the event says, "Friends of El Cerrito Library present a delightful and informative look at El Cerrito history in an evening program by Dave Weinstein, journalist and author of 'Berkeley Rocks' and other publications, Thursday, May 24, at 7:30 p.m., El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave., El Cerrito.  "…

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Comment of the Week

Comment of the Week: "YESSSSSS!!!!!"

We generally don't pick a one-word comment followed by five exclamation marks as our Comment of the Week, but at the same time, we've never had such a comment before.

Our April 14 story on a newly launched campaign to build a new El Cerrito Library, "New El Cerrito Library Campaign Launched," drew an enthusiastic response from reader Dorothy Coakley. Her comment is perhaps the shortest we've ever selected as the Comment of the Week: YESSSSSS!!!!!  

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Dorothy Coakley

4:51 pm on Sunday, April 15, 2012

Not a problem, Pam. No new taxes. "El Cerrito Underground" will be the first US library to be funded exclusively with our existing sewer taxes. The new library will be located within the viaducts of El Cerrito's aging drainage system and will be "lean, green and almost clean." No residential views will be obscured nor will patrons be inconvenienced in returning books. (Manhole covers will …   more ›

El Cerrito Time Machine

Burglar Leaves Note, Residents Must Help Pave Streets, and Other News in 1949

Front-page news in El Cerrito exactly 63 years ago today: apologetic note from a burglar; El Cerrito Rotary born; residents required to chip in for street paving; local businesses warned on false advertising; library top in county in children's books.

The now yellowed front page of the weekly El Cerrito Journal for today, April 14, in 1949 provides a snapshot of our community in its post-war growth years. Here are some of the actual headlines from the paper's front page, followed by our brief summaries of the articles: A burglar who broke into the Corner Shop at San Pablo Avenue and Lassen Street on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning left a note of apology. Owner Carl Forsberg said the miscreant had a piece of pie and a cup of coffee, relieved the cash register of three dollars in small change and left a note saying, "Sorry to eat and run this way." The City Council adopted a definite policy on how to pay for paving city streets. The city will pay for a third and the residents on …

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New El Cerrito Library Campaign Launched

A new community group has come together to wage a campaign for a new El Cerrito Library to replace the city's 63-year-old leaking, undersized one on Stockton Avenue.

A new initiative to rebuild the aging, cramped El Cerrito Library has been launched by an ad hoc community group. "Help grow our library — let's write the next chapter together," say the opening words on the homepage of the new Web site of the El Cerrito New Library Community Campaign. The Web site was launched earlier this month. "Everyone agrees that our library is undersized," said Tom Panas of El Cerrito, a member of the six-person campaign committee. The group also includes El Cerrito's former librarian, Grace MacNeill, president of the Friends of the El Cerrito Library. There has been a longstanding and widespread desire in the city rebuild the popular, city-owned, county-run library in a larger space, but pinched municipal finances …

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Comment of the Week

Comment: Put New Library at Old Safeway

Our article on reuse of the Portola Middle School site gave rise to several comments this week on relocating the El Cerrito library to the old Safeway site. We've selected two as our Comments of the Week.

We never quite know which direction the reader comments on our articles will take. One unexpected discussion arose this past week in the reader comments on our April 4 article about reuse of the old Portola Middle School site, "Old Portola School Site to Be Soccer Fields, Long Slope?" Following a suggestion to rebuild the city's cramped library at the Portola site, Kathy A. suggested putting the library in the abandoned Safeway building on San Pablo Avenue at Moeser Lane, an idea that sparked several comments, including two selected as our Comments of Week. One is a follow-up by Mike and the other is a further follow-up by Kathy A. Mike: Rebuilding the library from the ground up at the old Safeway site is a great idea. The "no grocery" …

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El Cerrito Time Machine

El Cerrito Library Pioneers Paperbacks – Who-Done-Its, Shoot-Em-Ups

The front-page news in El Cerrito exactly 63 years ago today included the local library being the first in the county to circulate paperbacks, as well as a reminder of the threat of Communism and a new police car costing $449.10.

The now yellowed front page of the weekly El Cerrito Journal for today, April 7, in 1949 provides a snapshot of our community in its post-war growth years. Here are some of the actual headlines from the paper's front page, followed by our brief summaries of the articles: The newly built El Cerrito library is the first branch in the Contra Costa Libary system to use pocket-sized paperback books as circulating books, according the county librarian, Miss Jessie A. Lea. The experiment is intended to satisfy readers of mysteries and westerns, whose hunger for those genres far exceeds the hardback supply. The pocket book editions include Invisible Man by Wells and The Rope Began to Hang the Butcher by Grafton. Stockton Avenue businessmen …

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Seeking the Mysterious Origin of Valentine's Day – at El Cerrito Library

We all know Valentine's Day falls on Feb. 14 and that its American variation involves paper Valentines, hearts, flowers, candy and romance. But why do we celebrate it? Patch went to the El Cerrito Library to find out.

If romance is enhanced by a touch of mystery, it's probably fitting that the origin of the holiday devoted to romance, Valentine's Day, is veiled by the mists of history. Why the cards, candy, flowers, hearts and romance? The origin theories seem as numerous as Republicans running for President. There's the story about a saint named Valentine, executed Feb. 14 after being imprisoned by some mean Romans. While in jail, he received affectionate notes through the bars of this cell. Or, as others say, it was an adaptation of the Roman Lupercalia holiday, in which rites intended to ward off wolves also somehow involved young men lashing young women with leather thongs. Or, it began as a celebration of the day when birds chose their mates. Or, …

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Free Valentine’s Fun for Kids at the Libraries

El Cerrito and Kensington libraries are each hosting story times for kids with Valentine’s themes, and the latter is also having a Valentine-making party.

If you know or have any kids who like to hear stories and might like to join in the Valentine’s mood at the same time, you can bring them to the special Valentine’s story times at the El Cerrito and Kensington libraries. And if they’d also like to make a Valentine with a cupcake recipe, then the Kensington library event is the place to be. This Saturday, Feb. 11, at 11:15 a.m. the Kensington Library will host “Valentine’s Day Craft and Stories,” with children’s librarian Jackie Overlid. Kids can create their own Valentine with a cupcake theme and cupcake recipe. On Monday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m., the "Family Picture Book Storytime" at El Cerrito Library will include stories and songs devoted to the Valentine’s theme with children’s librarian …

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New Friends Sought for El Cerrito Library

The volunteer non-profit Friends of the El Cerrito Library has issued an appeal for new members to "help support one of El Cerrito's most important resources – our library." (Dues are quite low.)

A new flyer has appeared in town, headlined: "The El Cerrito Library needs New Friends!" It's an appeal from the Friends of the El Cerrito Library for new members. The non-profit volunteer organization is the chief support group for the city's public library. El Cerrito's library, while enjoying an increase in public use, is widely acknowledged to be sorely in need of better and bigger quarters. One hope is to raise enough money for a new building, while in the meantime, the Friends devote much of their energy to enhancing the collection and programs available at the current home. The group's president, former El Cerrito Librarian Grace MacNeill, said there was concern on the Friends' board that some members of the community may not be …

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Patch Picks: "Banned Books" Carried by El Cerrito, Kensington Libraries

We're celebrating our First Amendment rights by recognizing books under threat of being banned, in honor of Banned Books Week.

Inspired by Banned Books Week last week, we surveyed books that have fallen victim to censorious campaigns in the United States this year and last year and are happy to report that many are available through the El Cerrito and Kensignton Libraries. Here are five of them: Additional information on banned books can be found at the American Library Association website and the Banned Books website.

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