A Small Town Shows Off Its Stuff

Today is TUESDAY, July 5, 2011. Yesterday, of course, was the Fourth of July, and in this town, that means a parade. And fireworks. The Fourth is when our downtown turns into the kind of place we romanticize it to be -- it carries that air of comfort and familiarity and safety not seen in most other modern downtowns these days. When people raise up their voices to defend and preserve downtown Martinez, desperate to keep the small town charm and grace from slipping away into faceless corporate chain store oblivion, yesterday's parade is exactly what they are talking about, to my mind.

At around 10 a.m., the fire truck sounded its siren at the corner of Main and Court streets, and the parade was off and running. Well, more like off and walking, but you know what I mean. And for the next 30 minutes, the crowds that lined both sides of Main Street cheered for the men, women, boys and girls who strutted their stuff, waved and threw candy. There were no elaborate floats, very little glitter and glamor -- it was the essence of small-town celebration, low-budget and low-key. But it was, at least for me, a powerful reminder of just why I have chosen to make my home here, to put down roots here, in this particular spot. There were familiar, well-loved faces to say hello to, and a lot of people I've never seen before, most of whom returned my smile and greeting. The mingling of humanity in all its permutations works well here -- we are tolerant in this town to most everyone (if less so to ideas).

Martinez is a scrappy place, a rough-hewed jewel that glitters on a sun-drenched day in July, a place that refuses to give way to the ravages of economic hardship and demographic trends. Our creeks have beavers, despite the odds. Our streets play host to mansions, middle class houses, modest rooms, and homeless. We have hundreds of acres of vast open spaces in which to wander.

I know the mayor was in the crowd yesterday -- his was one of the first vehicles in the parade. If the other council mebers were in the crowd yesterday, I hope they saw what a truly special place our downtown is when it puts on a celebration. Of course there is room for improvement, and of course we all have our own version of what those improvements should be. And it's unlikely that there will ever be a true consensus on that particular issue. But this much is clear from yesterday's parade, at least to me: What we already have is certainly worth preserving. It is a living embodiment of American life, writ small.

As the fireworks lit the enchanted faces at Martinez Shoreline Park last night, it was a fitting end to a day spent reflecting on the struggles past, the ones we're in now, and the future challenges we face, as our fair city continues to look at itself and ask what it will look like in days to come.

WEATHER:

Sunny, with highs in the upper 90s, west winds 10 to 15 mph.

MEETINGS:

Wednesday, July 6:
City Council Workshop on sea level rise, 6 p.m.
Regular City Council meeting, 7 p.m. - among the items to be discussed is the appeal of the Alhambra Highlands project.

Thursday, July 7:
Marina Subcommittee (Mayor Rob Schroder and Councilman Mark Ross), 3 p.m. A tour of the Marina is scheduled, after which will be a discussion of the facility.

EVENTS:

TODAY IN HISTORY:

1934 - Police open fire on striking longshoremen in San Francisco, in what has come to be called "Bloody Thursday."

1935 - The National Labor Relations Act is signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

1971 - The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is signed by President Richard Nixon, lowering the voting age from 21 years to 18 years.

1975 - Arthur Ashe becomes the first black man to win Wimbeldon singles title.