Taking a Break
By Betsy Bashor
The Nov. 3 election is upon us, but Livable El Cerrito will not cover it. Your editor is taking a one-month break – for two reasons.
First, I decided on Oct. 12 to support candidates Kimberly White and Wally Nowinski with an editorial, yard signs and a donation. That makes it tough to cover the City Council election objectively and I’m not going to try.
I will return to posting after the county reports final election results, which should happen by early December.
The second reason for the break is that I have the chance to take a November trip with my family, including my baby granddaughter. As Livable readers may have noticed, I’ve been publishing less in the last few months. That’s because of my rewarding new job as a “granny nanny.” When I resume posting, it will still be somewhat less frequent than in the first year of the Livable site.
Meanwhile, El Cerrito has another news site produced by an experienced local journalist, Betty Buginas, that will provide factual, detailed election coverage. Buginas has already posted excellent reports on the Sept. 30 and Oct. 8 candidate forums on her web site at https://elcerritowire.blogspot.com/
The news site is in addition to her longtime El Cerrito Wire on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/elcerritowire.
I’ve also enjoyed taking a step back and enjoying thought-provoking research and commentary on Nextdoor from Ira Sharenow, Richard Brooks, David Hatton, Rosemary Clark, and others.
Thank you to my subscribers, sources, and readers for your interest in the local news and opinions on Livable El Cerrito! When I first posted on Jan. 16, 2025, I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s been rewarding to create the site, hear your comments, and see my readership grow. I look forward to connecting with all of you once the election is over.
One final opinion: I will be voting for Measure V to renew the West Contra Costa school district parcel tax, as well as Measure RTM, the transit tax.
No matter who you support, please remember to vote!
Congratulations on becoming a grandparent! And enjoy your break!
Thank you for your blog - your accurate reporting has been so important to us in El Cerrito.
This city needs to wake up to the facts of the state of politics in our City Hall. Last year we on Richmond St lost to the City in our fight for our street. Other such wake up calls are coming to other neighborhoods soon.
Betty Buginas' blog is not neutral. She recently posted an opinion piece on the election labeled "analysis." Yes, she was a journalist in the 1990s but her current site should not be mistaken for journalism any more than the other blogs in El Cerrito. Congratulations to you and enjoy your next chapter as grandma.
Thank you for all your coverage! It is much appreciated.
Betsy - enjoy your well-deserved break! I look forward to your articles when you return.