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What Is This Community Called Hercules?

I want to hear from local Herculeans on the why my wife and I should move to Hercules.

Is it a city?  Is it a town?  Is it a small community?  What are you called . . . Herculeans?

The premise of this blog is to gather information about this place called Hercules.  Let's start at the beginning. My wife and I are looking for a home to purchase (easy real estate people . . . key word "looking"), and we came across Hercules while I was searching for areas in the East Bay. We currently reside and work in Solano County and for those who are unfamiliar with the summers up here, very hot! Anyway, we were looking for somewhere near the water where temps are pretty consistent. We know about the fog and cold . . . blah, blah, blah.  My wife has horrendous allergies up here and the ocean air seems to be her best medication.

So, when we drove through Hercules (west of San Pablo) we found it to be quaint, quiet, and very inviting. We noticed the half-built monstrosity that is Sycamore North or Town Centrale or whatever it is or was called. But recognizing the downturn in the economy and the redevelopment dissolution, half-built structures are more common than not.  Even with the not so pretty areas of Hercules, there was still something that tugged at both of us to investigate a little more. We have visited twice (2 weekends in a row).  We have eaten at Sala and the Powder Keg and enjoyed both places. I will say that the view on the Sala patio was very serene.

So what I would like from all of you is your input to the pros and cons of Hercules. Why should we move 40 minutes from ouor jobs to live here? What is it that keeps you here or is possibly choosing to moving away. I hope to get honest non-political answers. Where is a better place to buy a home ...west or east of San Pablo.

Oh yeah, demographics.  I am 47 years old and my wife is younger than me. We have been married almost 23 years. No kidlets, but we have 3 yorkshire terriers.

Alright Herculeans . . . spill it!

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G.C. May 18, 2013 at 05:18 am
Lastly, society (including parents and kids) are letting our schools down as evidenced by theRead More extreme truancy in Hercules and Pinole. Taxpayers give in the form of bond measures and parcel taxes. Teachers give out of their pockets. And our kids show their appreciation by skipping class. Sad.
G.C. May 17, 2013 at 08:43 pm
Jessica, This approach to funding the classroom needs to stop in order to return the teachingRead More profession to just that, a profession. Teaching should not be a life-long stint in the Peace Corps. I easily spent $500 per year of my own money when I was teaching science in the district. I enabled the erosion of the public education system. Enough is enough. Teachers need to call society on it. This means teachers also need to return some responsibilities to the administration. Currently, teachers have assumed enough responsibility to result in the scapegoating of their profession, but not enough responsibility to succeed at their profession. Join the rest of the working world. Come to work and do as your told per chain-of-command. If you do not have the supplies you need, we'll hold your bosses, and ourselves, accountable. Teaching is no different than being a mechanic or a police officer or doctor. We pay all of them what they are worth. Why is it different for teachers?
Bud Burlison May 16, 2013 at 07:06 am
You can always change your provider if you're disappointed with service. I thinkRead More "hit-and-miss" can describe a lot of health service providers, but Kaiser is among the best if the experts are to be believed. I've had nothing but the best service for about 40 years.
G.C. May 15, 2013 at 05:51 am
Kaiser received serious administrative penalties-fines as reported here by the California DepartmentRead More of Public Health http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/facilities/Pages/APCountyAlameda.aspx http://www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/facilities/Pages/APCountySanFrancisco.aspx Kaiser is hit-and-miss, much like public schools. You might get an excellent doctor (or teacher) or you might encounter a real dud. I've encountered both. I'm still scratching my head over a recent visit in which I had been up all night with a blocked esophagus since 5 pm Easter dinner. The advice nurse made a 9 AM appointment for me with my doctor instead of sending me to the ER. When I saw my doctor, I was spitting into a cup because I couldn't swallow. I told him I had even tried to induce vomiting during the night. He noticed that the back of my throat was red--he said he worried that it was an infection. I told him I had attempted to induce vomiting, using the back of a fork. He said that the back of a fork is dirty, that my red throat must be an infection. Seriously? So only sterile things should go into my mouth? No comment. He then asked me why I was there, that I should be in the ER instead. Really? Ask the advice nurse. He offered to call an ambulance. He then said he would call the ER to let them know I was on my way. He then showed me the fastest way to my car. It was a very long day. I couldn't even swallow water. At 3:00, I was x-rayed. At 5:00, they did an endoscopy and removed the blockage. Twenty four hours of being unable to swallow might be something they want to try at Guantanamo. I would have said anything just to be able to sip some water. It's far from the best, but it is affordable.