Multiple earthquakes struck back-to-back in less than 30 minutes.

Immigrants who have never been to countries as far flung as Ecuador or Uganda are now at risk of being deported there. Hundreds of asylum-seekers may be sent to Honduras, Ecuador, Uganda following S.F. immigration ruling

Local elected officials call for censuring Richmond mayor over social media posts Richmond City Council member Jamelia Brown said Mayor Eduardo Martinez should resign over Bondi Beach post.

The firing in San Francisco comes in the wake of mass dismissals of immigration judges by the Trump administration since April of this year. 13th San Francisco immigration judge fired, leaving court decimated

A Jewish organization in the Bay Area called the posts offensive.

The Ken Houston middle finger seen ‘round the world An Oakland councilmember’s in-your-face approach to politics has turned into a national story.

They’re losing health care, even in the Bay Area. Now trans youth and their families are getting organized As the Trump Administration ratchets up pressure on hospitals to halt gender affirming care, Rainbow Families Action notches a win. Plus: what hospital systems told us they will and won’t offer now.

Contra Costa County DA not filing charges in shooting death of 20-year-old Richmond police say Griffin Hammond of Richmond was shot and killed after he shot someone first outside a convenience store.

Nonprofits managing affordable housing are on the hook for hundreds of thousands of dollars in new city fees.

Supervisor Wong called both supporters and opponents of Sunset Dunes about his decision. One key person did not receive a call. Supervisor Alan Wong says he’ll back measure to bring cars back to Great Highway

Video shows four people, including at least three who tenants say are staff members, walking out of unit with boxes of presents. Nightmare before Christmas: Fillmore low-income tenants say housing staff stole their Christmas gifts

Hank was stolen in San Francisco's Castro neighborhood.

A mutated strain of influenza A is spreading globally this flu season.

Barbara Lee is still fighting in court to hold Donald Trump accountable for Jan. 6 Many other cases against Trump — criminal and civil — have failed, but following a Washington D.C. court hearing, Lee and others said they believe they can win.

The Bay Area transit agency plans a 6.2% increase starting Jan. 1, marking the third consecutive year of rising fares.

Free Sunday parking in Oakland is going away Meters will charge from noon to 6 on Sundays, after a 30-day warning period. Meanwhile, the city's finance department may take over core parking functions.

After a change in ownership in 2024, the Uptown Oakland bar and bottle shop is set to close at the end of 2025.

The Good Hop calls it quits after 11 years in Oakland  After a change in ownership in 2024, the Uptown Oakland bar and bottle shop is set to close at the end of 2025.

Shizen has been open for 10 years. Inside, it’s all beauty and light, with blond, wooden, curved beams cocooning the space. Review: Shizen Vegan Sushi & Omakase aims high and nails it

Voices charter school given 2-year renewal despite low performance WCCUSD school board considered revoking its charter because of low test scores but granted a short renewal contingent on academic improvement.

This piece was posted years ago, but we republish it every year because it’s a great recipe with video instructions. It’s the season for tamales. First step: Get your masa […] It’s time to make tamales!

The Good Hop calls it quits after 11 years in Oakland  After a change in ownership in 2024, the Uptown Oakland bar and bottle shop is set to close at the end of 2025.

The school safety supervisor was arrested Tuesday.

Attorneys have reported a spike in scams impersonating immigration attorneys and targeting asylum-seekers in the Bay Area. Learn how to protect yourself.

Big school budget cuts, OAK and ICE, Costco plan, and more…on the podcast Catch up on Oakland news while walking the dog or cooking dinner with Oaklandside 510.

Bring on the inflated Santas and over-the-top holiday lights — a Sunset holiday decoration contest is heating up. Sunset Buzz: Free groceries, toy giveaway and so many sweet treats on Irving Street

On Valencia Street. Photo by Junyao Yang. Valencia Art Wall

Inside a San Francisco county jail, 13 men became the first graduates of an in-custody barber training program on Wednesday evening. Inside S.F. jail, 13 freshly minted barbers graduate, each with a different hairstyle

An odd sequence of events resulted in a number of strange reports from witnesses, police said.

WCCUSD announces Kim Moses to retire, following no-confidence vote The United Teachers of Richmond on Dec. 10 told the WCCUSD school board that Chief Business Officer Kim Moses underreported projected revenue.

Richmond mayor slammed for sharing Bondi Beach shooting conspiracies Mayor Eduardo Martinez is being asked to resign over recent now-deleted LinkedIn posts. He's also being criticized for previous public comments about Hamas-Israel politics.

Also: A former Berkeley rabbi’s brother-in-law is among those who was shot during the antisemitic attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Australia.

Here's what's new in Bayview: Free tote bags, Christmas trees and tacos, along with new murals on the Third Street corridor. Bayview Buzz: Free merch, murals and holiday cheer

CARE Court was supposed to be a new way to help homeless Californians in the grip of psychosis. But people are still falling through the cracks.

In the face of steep budget cuts, negotiations stall between Oakland Unified and teachers union Following failed mediation, the next step for Oakland Unified School District and the Oakland Education Association will be a fact-finding period.

The lawsuit is the second one to hit a UC Berkeley fraternity within the month.

CARE Court was created to help California’s toughest homeless cases. Why that’s been so hard CARE Court was supposed to be a new way to help homeless Californians in the grip of psychosis. But people are still falling through the cracks.

The successful teacher's strike in West Contra Costa Unified has emboldened teachers unions in Berkeley and 14 other California school districts currently at an impasse in their labor negotiations.

It’s panettone season. Where to get a taste of Italy in the East Bay There are several options for enjoying the Italian holiday treat, including Starter Bakery's in-house version and Donato & Co., which is the only U.S. importer of Infermentum panettone.

It’s panettone season. Where to get a taste of Italy in the East Bay There are several options for enjoying the Italian holiday treat, including Starter Bakery's in-house version and Donato & Co., which is the only U.S. importer of Infermentum panettone.

Officials say she had been operating in a quiet Sacramento County suburb.

There are several options for enjoying the Italian holiday treat, including Starter Bakery's in-house version and Donato & Co., which is the only U.S. importer of Infermentum panettone.

Sean Ceballos, 35, was charged Tuesday with one count of felony vandalism, authorities said today.

Sunken boats will get pulled from Oakland estuary The City Council approved a $1.5 million contract for vessel removal, part of a big estuary clean-up effort supported by a federal grant.

12 things to do in Richmond this week Highlights include: Snow play day; WCCUSD winter break camp begins; a memorial for a Richmond pedestrian who died after being struck by a car on San Pablo Avenue.

Other events include a celebration of the winter solstice, a political satire show featuring "King Scrump" and an interfaith holiday concert.

At Pop's Bar. Photo by Angel Mayorga. An attitude

Is Mayor Lurie required by law to release details of how he sweet-talked President Trump out of invading San Francisco?  Mayor Lurie broke law by keeping Trump call records secret, S.F. committee says

Two Mission Local reporters are tasked with taking in vast quantities of buttercream as judges in the annual City Hall bakeoff. Getting baked at City Hall: Annual S.F. bakeoff marks end of Myrna Melgar’s dessert dynasty

The city is investigating allegations into a man dressed as an outreach worker. In text exchanges, an RV dweller begs for his money back. RV dwellers say S.F. outreach worker is selling parking permits for cash

Eric Mangum, 25, is now facing charges in two separate cases: felony stalking as well as possession of child sexual abuse material.

Prosecutors said the man's attacks were a direct threat to national security.

The suit — seeking records related to a complaint that officers acted improperly towards people filming an encampment sweep — lays bare rising tensions between police accountability officials and BPD brass.

Oakland leaders reluctantly extend security contract again Councilmembers held their noses and agreed to pay several million more dollars to ABC Security, a firm tied to a central figure in the FBI corruption probe.

Oakland Ballet leaps past challenges to celebrate 60 years The dance company kicked off its anniversary with "Luna Mexicana" and is preparing to present the holiday classic "The Nutcracker."

An all-woman panel of immigration experts talked with Mission Local about ICE in S.F., and what forms of resistance are working Year of ICE: S.F. immigration experts on resistance and what 2026 might hold

A group of parents and students, fearing doxing and harassment, urged the district not to comply with federal requests. And a Berkeley middle school teacher is the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit aiming to halt California’s new law on antisemitism in schools.

An explosion in a sixth-floor unit set off the fire alarm and appears to have triggered massive fire last week. Video: Explosion preceded Tenderloin building fire that displaced 68

Richmond police investigating fifth homicide of 2025 The shooting occurred about a half mile from the Richmond BART station and near several businesses along Macdonald Avenue.

Sandwich shop lands in Old Town, and a new Temescal pickleball social club offers breakfast and lunch A running list of restaurants that have recently opened in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

A running list of restaurants that have recently opened in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

The group's leader was referred to as a "prophetess."

"It's not coming back."

Oakland approves $2M surveillance camera plan The vote on Flock’s license plate readers capped months of whiplash, tensions, a 10-minute video, and discourse over a maybe-middle finger.

Los adultos indocumentados no podrán inscribirse por primera vez en Medi-Cal a partir del 31 de diciembre El estado está suspendiendo las nuevas inscripciones de personas indocumentadas debido a recortes presupuestarios. El condado de Contra Costa se está preparando para las repercusiones que esto tendrá en su sistema de salud.

Justice organizations hand-delivered letters to the City Hall offices of elected officials demanding protections for women in jail. Remove S.F. deputies who allegedly mass strip-searched women in jail, social justice orgs demand

Kia and Hyundai have agreed to pay millions to people who had their vehicles stolen.

Update, 9:45 a.m. "PG&E has resolved the issue and all lanes of traffic are now open," UC Berkeley has announced.

Sandwich shop lands in Old Town, and a new Temescal pickleball social club offers breakfast and lunch A running list of restaurants that have recently opened in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

This grant keeps small businesses open, but more funds are needed $2.5 million donated by Kaiser Permanente went to 170 Oakland businesses this year — but 500 applied.

Teacher contract ratified but union-district relations fractured after WCCUSD strike WCCUSD educators ratified an 8% raise after a four-day strike while accusing top administrators of mismanagement and eroded trust.

At Geary Boulevard and Steiner Street. Photo by Zachary Smith. Nature’s golden palette

Attorneys have reported a spike in scams impersonating immigration attorneys and targeting asylum-seekers in the Bay Area. Asylum-seekers are desperate for lawyers. Scammers are filling the gap.

Mission Local has put together the following guide to accompany a piece on the rise of immigration scams across the Bay Area. You can read that piece here. Immigration advocates […] Fake immigration lawyers are scamming Bay Area families. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Law requires extra vetting for some buildings — and research into what’s going on at San Francisco's manufacturing and industrial sites. Drone wars: DoorDash will need S.F. permit to test flying burritos in the Mission

Undocumented adults can’t enroll in Medi-Cal after Dec. 31 State no longer offering the health care plan to new undocumented enrollees due to budget cuts. Contra Costa County braces for impacts to its health care system.

This week in Oakland: the Kitka ensemble winter show, and winterfest at Chabot Space and Science Center Other events include Carols on strings, Yalda night at OMCA, and Liam O’Donogue playing funky beats at Eli’s.

"Enough is enough."

A car on the back of a tow truck on Interstate 580 fell onto the BART tracks.

The tenant protections are partially in response to new policies encouraging housing development, such as upzoning S.F. supervisors pass bill requiring 3.5 years of rental aid for tenants displaced by new housing

San Francisco officials have changed course and committed to seek developers for the La Cocina site within the next two years. S.F. moves to accelerate stalled housing at Tenderloin food-hall site

Bandna Bhatti, then 21, was just weeks from graduating when she fell 14 feet from a backyard stairway landing onto the concrete below.

Oakland’s gay, lesbian, bi, and trans elders are still fighting for their rights — and partying Lavender Seniors celebrated its 30th anniversary at a complex time for the queer community.

Oakland airport’s new guest program may risk feeding information to ICE The airport launched its OAK Guest Pass to fanfare on Monday. But visitors must send sensitive information to the TSA – where it could end up in the hands of immigration enforcement.

Oakland watchdog dismisses Ken Houston’s complaint against senior city staffer That staffer, Josh Rowan, who directs public works and transportation, still has an active complaint against Houston, claiming he interfered with city contracting.

While many Emeryville residents have become weary of the constant disruptions caused by road construction, most likely realize it may be better than the alternative: potholed roads. This alternative is just steps away for most residents living near the Oakland border where weaving around pockmarked roads is a necessary driving skill for those that want to preserve their vehicle’s wheels, tires, suspension, and alignment. The disparity between municipalities has led to a phenomenon some call “The [more]

Mission Local’s new data project shows arrests and citations around the 16th Street BART Plaza, updated daily. What have San Francisco police been doing at 16th and Mission?

Once slated to close, Mills College Children’s School will merge with Rockridge’s Aurora School The move to close the nearly 100-year-old school had been heartbreaking to families who valued its hands-on learning environment and emphasis on outdoor play time.

About 20 protesters were arrested by federal police after chaining themselves to San Francisco's immigration court. 42 faith leaders arrested after chaining themselves to S.F. immigration court

Obituary: Mayne Smith, Richmond bluegrass musician, helped uplift Freight & Salvage Mayne Smith was part of a quartet that formed the Bay Area’s first bluegrass band, the Redwood Canyon Ramblers. He died Nov. 12 at age 86.

Here is our round up of festive markets where you can shop, eat, and get into the holiday spirit. Here’s where to find San Francisco’s holiday markets

An explosion and fire rocked a Shell gas station at 16th and Guerrero streets in the Mission, sending smoke over San Francisco. Explosion and fire at Mission gas station sends plume of smoke over S.F.

The bomb plot was called "Operation Midnight Sun," officials say.

The Navy was chided on Monday for failing to report elevated levels of plutonium for nearly a year. But those levels, it insists, are safe. At S.F. city hearing, Navy says: Don’t panic about plutonium

"People sometimes think the little earthquakes are a safety valve."

A jury today convicted filmmaker and Kevin Epps of voluntary manslaughter for a 2016 shooting of his former brother-in-law. S.F. filmmaker Kevin Epps beats murder charge, gets manslaughter

East Bay’s November openings include new options for breakfast, dumplings, dim sum and more Recent restaurant openings include Kopi Bar & Cafe, Dough Zone, and the massive HL Peninsula.

The city wants your input on which street should be renamed after Claude, the albino alligator who died this month. Take our official poll. Which street will S.F. name for Claude? Vote here in the official poll.

Richmond city attorney is resigning Dave Aleshire has served as the city attorney since July 2022. City council to discuss next steps at Tuesday's meeting.

Contra Costa County water bills rise to pay for drought-ready purification EBMUD says rate increase is to help pay for 10-year, $713M project to keep water at six plants safe and tasting pure.

On Mission Street. Photo by Angel Mayorga. Late night at La Oaxaquena

The police investigation is underway.

Former San Leandro police officer Jason Fletcher fatally shot Steven Taylor in a Walmart store in 2020. The case has dragged on for years.

After 20 years of art and activism, Guerilla Cafe bids farewell to Berkeley; Carbona Pizza quietly closes A running list of restaurants that have recently closed in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond, and beyond.

The Emeryville Planet Fitness officially opened to the public today after a two year process. While Emeryville is flush with smaller “boutique” exercise facilities, it’s lacked a more “accessible” option since the closure of the In-Shape at the Public Market in 2016. Planet Fitness’ previous closest location was on Market Street in West Oakland. The gym replaced the former CVS pharmacy at 4349 San Pablo Avenue that had sat empty since 2022. Occupation of the space by Planet Fitness required Emer [more]

If you have questions about significant Berkeley police activity, please alert The Scanner. We may not know about it without you.

The best restaurant in the East Bay is a ‘neighborhood treasure’ that prompts inter-continental travel For the second year in a row, Bombera, Dominica Rice-Cisneros' Dimond District restaurant, takes home the Nosh Award for Best Restaurant Overall.

This Richmond nonprofit is ‘greening’ the city one project at a time For 30 years, The Watershed Project has been designing water-wise public gardens, planting trees, installing bioswales and teaching students about the environment.

The suit alleges that an overcrowded, soapy pool created a dangerous situation that led to the death of George Mauricio Salinas.

At least two use-of-force experts have opined that Jason Fletcher's "conduct was not criminal," the DA's office said.

The woman was crossing Oxford Street at about 10:30 a.m. when a southbound driver struck her near Cedar Street, Berkeley police said.

Berkeley police arrested 54-year-old Michael Aschoff on Monday evening.

Emeryville was the site of a protest on Monday afternoon to draw attention to a pending decision by Sutter Health to end gender-affirming, medical care for patients under 19 years old. Approximately 150 supporters turned out for the protest organized by Rainbow Families Action, holding signs reading “Get off our backs and let us live,” “Trans Kids deserve to live and thrive” and “Healthcare by doctors, not dictators.” The Federal Administration — as well as several individual states — have alrea [more]

The epicenter was in Oakland but some felt it in Berkeley. It followed eight quakes in San Ramon that began at about 2:30 a.m.

Nolan Leonardo has dozens of arrests dating back more than a decade, according to public records. He was released on OR.

There have been 14 other carjackings in Berkeley this year compared to 13 over the same period last year.

I’ve written before about the rocks around Lake Temescal, but not about the lake — the reservoir — itself. It was the East Bay’s first meaningful impoundment of drinking water, and in a way an early example of a typical Bay area human undertaking: the startup. For a hundred years, starting with the Spanish missions, […]

In this edition of our Semi-Monthly Emeryville Newswire, we share 6 stories relevant to Emeryville that you may have missed, including: Emeryville Man Convicted of “Pimping” gets 6 years An Emeryville man has been sentenced to six years in prison for pimping. 40-year old Christopher Lee Card pleaded no contest to charges stemming from a 2021 incident where Card “lured” a woman to the area based on the promise of a modeling job. He then held her against her will and forced her to have sex with st [more]

The Emeryville City Council met for the last time of 2025 on Tuesday, December 2nd. Highlights from the meeting included a special meeting to discuss the possibility of shifting to a monthly meeting schedule and the city’s annual leadership rotation. Council Debates Shift to Monthly Meeting [51:20] The evening opened with a Special Meeting and study session examining whether Emeryville should reduce its two-meeting-per-month schedule to one. Discussion of the item was suggested by Vice Mayor Suk [more]

The Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program, which has been feeding the region’s hungry for nearly 40 years, is back in Emeryville at their new, permanent home. They had been operating out of a temporary location down San Pablo Ave in Oakland since 2023 following the demolition of their space at 36th & San Pablo Avenue to make way for the Nellie Hannon Gateway Project. The $91.5 million, 90-unit project not only will house as many as 140 low-income and formerly homeless individuals, it includes a [more]

Oakland’s rocks spill over the city boundaries. Previously in this space I’ve presented two examples (1, 2) from down Fremont way. This week I tracked down an odd bit of color on the geologic map and found a splendid lump of one of our most distinctive rocks, way up north. It turns out to be […]

Some retail and service business updates in and around Emeryville since our most recent September Report. These include “Christmas in Emeryville,” the Wells Fargo Branch on 40th has closed, the possibility of a West Oakland Costco and updates on Planet Fitness, Burlington and Toys“R”Us. OPEN: Bay Street Emeryville Toys“R”Us Toys“R”Us has returned to Emeryville albeit as a much smaller seasonal pop-up store. The original store, an enduring childhood memory for many and known for its vast aisles o [more]

In this edition of our Semi-Monthly Emeryville Newswire, we share six stories relevant to Emeryville that you may have missed, including: City Surveying Residents on Proposed “Iconography” The City of Emeryville is asking residents to weigh in on three proposed “wayfinding” components by Los Angeles based artist Sijia Chen. The designs would be incorporated into the public art for the forthcoming, and somewhat contentious, 40th Street Multimodal project. The theme of the project, “Bringing Natur [more]

Some Food & Drink news in and around Emeryville since our most recent update back in October. These include two new Public Market stalls, a new tenant at the former Rotten City Pizza space, a target Grand Opening date for the Tokyo Central grocery store and an update on the Jungdon Katsu sit down restaurant. Tease Southern Kitchen Opens Public Market Location For those that have been missing a soul food option at the Public Market since the departure of Minnie Bell’s last year, Tease Southern Ki [more]

Emeryville City Councilmember Kalimah Priforce is recovering at home after being struck by a vehicle on Tuesday afternoon. He was hit riding his bicycle on San Pablo Avenue on the way to volunteer at a Veteran’s Day Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program (ECAP) event. He was turning near 27th street at about 1:40 p.m. when a sedan struck him from behind knocking him to the ground. “I was steps away from ECAP when I was hit by the frontal side of the car,” Priforce explained via phone from his Em [more]

Since 2018, Liam O’Donoghue, host of the East Bay Yesterday podcast, has been leading boat tours of the San Francisco Bay aboard the Pacific Pearl. While cruising along the shoreline, Liam narrates true stories related to the cultural and environmental history of various waterfront sites. Tickets are available through the Fish Emeryville website. [Update: Tickets … Continued The post Boat Tour FAQ appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

FROM THE OAKLANDISH BLOG… Order: East Bay Yesterday “Flying Key” t-shirt / East Bay Yesterday “Flying Key” hat  We’re excited to announce another collaboration with East Bay Yesterday, a local history podcast and KPFA radio show based in Oakland. The podcast delves into Oakland’s past, aiming to learn from it and shape a better future. Liam … Continued The post Limited edition East Bay Yesterday shirts and hats now available appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS Ever since I started hosting tours of the San Francisco Bay aboard the Pacific Pearl four years ago, the route has remained the same. After leaving the Emeryville Marina, we cruise up to the Berkeley pier, followed by Treasure Island, Yerba Buena Island and then the Port of Oakland. We … Continued The post Summer 2023 Boat Tours appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS [UPDATE: Here is a link to news about my 2023 tours. Sign up here to get my monthly newsletter, where I announce new tour dates, share local history news and promote upcoming events. ] Ahoy! I’ve been leading historical boat tours of the Bay for the past four years and … Continued The post Summer 2022 Boat Tours are Here! appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

UPDATE: Dates are now posted for boat tours through May 2023. Click here to purchase. You have two routes to choose from: the Oakland tour (which also includes brief swings through Berkeley and Yerba Buena Island) or the Richmond tour. Both of the family-friendly trips last about three hours and feature stories about everything from … Continued The post Boat tours are back! appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

Note: This update was originally published via the East Bay Yesterday newsletter. I send about one email per month and it typically includes short essays, round-ups of local history news, links to upcoming events, and archival photos. The image above is from a postcard collection I was recently given that I plan to write more … Continued The post How the tech boom inspired East Bay Yesterday appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

This is my first time posting a recipe on East Bay Yesterday, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading food blogs, it’s that you always have to bury the recipe way down at the bottom, after a lengthy preamble. So if you’re just here for the turkey instructions, feel free to start scrolling. … Continued The post Have a West Oakland-inspired Thanksgiving with this vintage recipe appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

By Liam O’Donoghue For the past week or so, it’s been hard to resist checking news constantly. From the minute I wake up, I crave the absolute latest updates: How fast is Coronavirus spreading? What’s happening to people who caught it? How long will this quarantine last? Sure, things are changing quickly and it’s important … Continued The post Quarantine reading list: Now is the perfect time to revisit the past appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

A friend sent me a message this morning that made my stomach drop: “Thought of you the other day, the wind apparently blew down the Terry’s TV sign at RCA.” I immediately texted back: “NOOOOO!” Even before seeing the shattered plastic shards all over the trash-strewn sidewalk, I knew it was true. Just last week, … Continued The post A shattering loss appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.

I’m the type of person who keeps their forehead glued to airplane windows during takeoffs and landings. I love the conflicting feelings that seeing the world from several thousand feet up elicit. On one hand, capturing an entire city with a single glance feels almost god-like. On the other, knowing that my home is just … Continued The post Up in the clouds, back in time appeared first on East Bay Yesterday.