Volume 2 – Number 5 – The Icon – Orinda News & Events

Sad Blueprint For Orinda

October 17, 2017 Richard Colman Comments 0 Comment

In its fall 2017 issue (volume 2, number 4), The Icon reported, “Orinda has many assets: excellent schools; a semi-rural environment, friendly people; a low crime rate; a salubrious climate; and beautiful homes.” No one knows how long “traditional” Orinda will last. But powerful forces want to destroy local control and transform the community into some sort of Tokyo or Manhattan. Developers and supportive political forces have plans to add additional housing to Orinda, a city which is full. There…

Town Hall Meeting

October 17, 2017 Richard Colman Comments 0 Comment

Assemblywoman Catharine Baker (R-San Ramon), pictured, spoke at a town-hall meeting in Orinda in September. Also speaking were County Supervisor Candace Andersen and Orinda Mayor Eve Phillips. All three elected officials support local control of municipalities and oppose Senate Bill 35, now law, which takes land-use authority away from local communities and gives it to the State of California.

Editorial: Civil Rights Are Important

October 17, 2017 Richard Colman Comments 0 Comment

The Icon has always strongly supported civil rights. In 1964, Congress passed — and the president signed — the Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination, in employment, on the basis of color, race, sex, or national origin. The act ended segregation in public places. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 took power away from state governments that wanted to prevent African-Americans from voting. In 1968, Congress passed — and the president signed — the Fair Housing Act. This act prevents…

Drink Coffee, Live Longer?

October 17, 2017 Laura Pawlak Comments 0 Comment

A coffee plant can live 100 years. Could humans extend their lives closer to a century by enjoying a cup — or more — of the brew each day? Coffee beans are seeds of a red fruit called the coffee cherry. Like all plant foods, coffee beans contain more than a thousand healthful chemicals. The benefits of drinking coffee are pretty impressive. The roasted bean has been shown to enhance brain function, increase metabolic rate, and improve exercise performance. Used…