Nightlife Might Not Be The Good Life For Martinez

Far be it from me to be judgmental or provincial.

Martinez has a reputation for being a scrappy, rough little town. We have lots of choppers parked in front of some of our nighttime establishments downtown, and we’ve been known to host a liquor-fueled barney or two now and then. There are a lot of people who live in Martinez who have never been downtown for fear that they’ll somehow get hurt (of course they won’t, but it looks a little scary after dark if you don’t know the area and how safe it actually is).

On the other hand, it’s perfectly safe to go out to dinner and drinks somewhere like, say, Walnut Creek. Or is it?

It’s a well-lit city, with well-heeled customers populating the restaurants and bars after dark. Sure, it’s pretty hard to find a parking space, but once you have done that, getting to and from your destination doesn’t merit a second thought, right?

Well, apparently that’s not the case. For the past year, there have been some serious fights in the town. Not just a couple of drunk guys having a verbal shouting match; we’re talking about some serious fights, involving multiple people, often with serious injuries as a result.

The latest in the ongoing problem , when there were three separate incidents that police were called out for. This comes several days after the City Council discussed ways to crack down on the ongoing violence that seems to plague the city all of a sudden.

All of this is to say that, while our city has something of a rough reputation, it doesn’t necessarily deserve it. We have our share of rough stuff, but nothing on the scale that Walnut Creek has suffered for the past year. It's no secret that, as a whole, Martinez is lower down on the economic scale than Walnut Creek. There is a sense that the more monied an environment, the safer it is. Recent history proves this perception incorrect. 

Whatever it is that makes those rowdies ready to rumble, let’s hope our city avoids the same fate. A vibrant night life can be a good thing, but it can have unintended consequences that might not be worth the extra dollars.

What are your thoughts on the violence in Walnut Creek? Tell us in the comments.