Why do people move to Orinda? What did they expect to find in such a warm, friendly place? Orinda has many assets: excellent schools; a semi-rural environment; friendly people; a low crime rate; a salubrious climate; and beautiful homes. Rarely, if ever, does life get better than it does in Orinda. But are Orindans’ expectations being met today? The Orinda of 1960, 1970, or 1980 is being challenged. The population has grown. The schools are on the verge of overcrowding,…
By Richard Colman California does not have a water shortage. The federal government, through subsidies, mismanages the water that is available in California. The impact financially is enormous. Orinda residents, who obtain their water from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD), pay about $7 per 1,000 gallons of water. Growers who receive federally subsidized water in such areas as Fresno, can pay 42 cents for the same amount of water. Thus, an Orinda resident is paying 17 times more…
By Dr. Laura Pawlak In a society of anti-bacterial warfare, who would imagine scientists touting the benefits of consuming foods fermented by living microorganisms? The organisms are called probiotics, which means “for life.” Identified on the skin and within the body, these beneficial microbes are part of a community of healthful and harmful micro-organisms called the microbiota. Most probiotics are located in your gut, particularly the large intestine (colon). Probiotics aid the digestion and absorption of food, improve immune function,…
By Richard Colman Water rates for Orinda residents and businesses are going up massively. On July 11, 2017, the directors of the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) voted 6 to 1 to raise water rates. A 9.25 percent increase will take place from July 2017 to June 2018. Between July 2018 and June 2019, there will be another rate increase of 9.0 percent. Thus, in a two-year period, water rates will be going up by 19 percent. How can…
When is the last time the government of Orinda had an open exchange with the city’s residents? In the last 10 years, no one from the Orinda City Council has held a town-hall meeting or a press conference. In June 2017, The Icon asked the city council to put an item — an item about holding a town-hall meeting — on a council agenda. Interim City Manager Steve Salomon wrote The Icon on Aug. 1, 2017. He said: “I have…