In a recent meeting held behind closed doors, Contra Costa County and the city of Walnut Creek agreed to use over $6 million in funds from programs designed to promote highway safety and improvements to carve out a three-block-long bicycle path on Treat Boulevard.
The affected area runs from North Main St. to Jones Road, a stretch that currently handles over 40,000 vehicles a day. The proposed path duplicates the existing Canal Trail, which is dedicated to bikers and pedestrians, is located two blocks south of Treat Boulevard and connects directly to the Iron Horse Trail for access to the Pleasant Hill BART station.
The city acknowledged both the high risk to bikers using the proposed paths and the negative impacts on traffic in this highly congested area. So, why is this project going forward?
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) came out in opposition to an Alameda County Ethical Investment Policy at the Oct. 3 Board of Supervisors meeting. The supervisors passed the policy but delayed implementation.
The majority of Jews present at that meeting were mobilized by Jewish Voice for Peace and supported the policy.
A September Washington Post poll found that the majority of U.S. Jews do not support current Israeli policies. The JCRC’s position of opposing a pro-human rights policy is not a mainstream position, and it is not aligned with Jewish values.
The JCRC accused Israel’s critics of antisemitism and expressed concern about Jewish safety. Associating Jews with the acts of a murderous regime makes Jews less safe. Jews are safer in a world that works for all, including Palestinians.
We urge the supervisors to implement the Ethical Investment Policy as soon as possible.
The recent story harkens back to a pre-ACA time when people went without insurance because of the high costs of insurance premiums. What we need for California is a Cal-Care for all solution. However, this year, a Cal-Care bill was sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, and he vetoed it. The main reason is that the federal government is not willing to give money that is due to us, which messes with the state budget.
Staying in the United States is not beneficial to California. In 2022, we gave $83 billion to the federal government, which ends up getting redistributed to other states. The California National Party is the only party that recognizes this and has universal health care (Cal-Care, or Medi-Cal for all) as part of its platform.
A letter writer opined that President Trump could seek a third term as president by being vice president on a ticket headed by JD Vance, and, after Vance won the presidency, Vance could, by prearrangement, resign, and Trump would become president.
However, the 12th Amendment of the Constitution stipulates that one who is constitutionally ineligible to be president is also ineligible to be vice president, which would presumably prevent Trump from becoming president under this subterfuge.
Trump could argue that the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution prohibits him only from being “elected” — but not actually serving — as president for a third term. But the Supreme Court would likely reject this subterfuge on grounds that it conflicts with the plain intent of the 22nd amendment to prevent a person from serving a third term as president through the electoral process, as Franklin Roosevelt did in the 1930s.
I am one of the people who have written to request that “Mallard Fillmore” be moved to the Opinion Page, since it is clearly political in nature. I’m not asking that it be censored or removed from the paper, just that it be recognized as political opinion.
In the past few days, “Mallard Fillmore” has implied that the media only looks for bad things about Donald Trump and twists the truth, that liberals are stealing our tax dollars to support their own political party, and only care about disease in an election year, and the media is hypocritically misleading us about the destruction of the White House East Wing. Meanwhile, “Pickles” taught Nelson to say I love you to his grandma, and “Luann” adopted a puppy. Which of these is not like the other?
Incidentally, “Doonesbury” is offering more-than-20-year-old strips. That’s not a fair balance.
The game was tied at seven in the first half Saturday, but that’s as close as Santa Teresa would get as SHC routed the Saints to advance to the section title game, where the Fightin’ Irish will play rival St. Ignatius next week. SHC used a 28-point second quarter to propel the San Francisco school to the win. Quarterback Michael Sargent accounted for six touchdowns – throwing for four and rushing for two. Running back Jaylen Malcom had three touchdowns for Santa Teresa, which finished 11-1. – Nathan Canilao
CCS Division V
No. 1 Piedmont Hills 41, No. 4 Jefferson 14
Piedmont Hills will play in its first section final since 2010 after making quick work of Jefferson at home. Senior Diego Arias was excellent on both sides of the ball, getting a 32-yard pick-six and throwing a 50-yard touchdown to Travis Linane. Running back Alijah Torres had two rushing scores. Quarterback John Palomo ran for a touchdown and kicker Cash Martinez knocked in field goals from 26 and 32 yards away. Jefferson quarterback Robert Saulny-Green accounted for both of his team’s touchdowns with a rushing score and a passing TD. The Pirates will play Sobrato for the D-V championship next week. They will try to avenge a 40-30 loss to the Morgan Hill school this season. Jefferson ended its season 9-2. – Nathan Canilao
No. 2 Sobrato 27, No. 3 Terra Nova 19
Brady Lennon rushed for 272 yards and three touchdowns to help Sobrato to the win and the program’s first appearance in a CCS title game. Lennon broke a 70-yard scoring run on the second play of the game. Brandon Huighes connected with Jacob Sorrentino on a 35-yard touchdown pass to make it 14-0. After Terra Nova drew to within 20-19, Lennon’s 26-yard TD run with 1:46 left gave Sobrato (8-4) an eight-point lead. Then when kicker Kyle Gurney recovered a fumble on the subsequent kickoff, the Bulldogs were able to run out the clock. For Terra Nova (8-4), QB Joey Donati rushed for 93 yards and passed for 184 and touchdowns to Robbie Johnson and Holden Najar. – Glenn Reeves
NCS Division V
No. 2 Ferndale 35, No. 3 Salesian 7
Salesian traveled more than 250 miles up Highway 101 for its semifinal game against Ferndale, hoping to return home to Richmond with a shot to capture the program’s eighth NCS championship next week. For three quarters Saturday, there was still hope. The Pride trailed 14-7 with 12 minutes to play. But the home team found another gear down the stretch, scoring three touchdowns in the final quarter to advance to play top-seeded St. Vincent de Paul for the championship next Saturday at Rancho Cotate High in Rohnert Park. Instead of Salesian playing for an eighth NCS crown, Ferndale (12-0) will be seeking its 15th. Salesian finished 10-2. – Darren Sabedra
SAN JOSE — Few players in the NWSL cover more ground than Paige Metayer.
The former Cal midfielder has transformed into one of the league’s most versatile players. On Saturday, she brings that full-spectrum game back to the Bay Area as the Washington Spirit face Gotham FC in the NWSL championship at PayPal Park.
The third-year pro has played at forward, midfield, and fullback for the Spirit, and started at right back in last year’s 1-0 championship game loss to Orlando.
Bay FC’s Penelope Hocking advances on Gotham FC in Saturday night’s NWSL match in Harrison, N.J. Hocking scored Bay FC’s lone goal when she scored from close range in the 11th minute. It was Hocking’s fourth goal in her last five games. (Courtesy of Bay FC / NWSL)
Metayer started for four years at Cal, but didn’t receive all-conference recognition and went undrafted. But the Spirit offered her a preseason invite, and it took her just a few weeks to prove she belonged.
As a rookie in 2023, she started all 21 matches she appeared in, and scored three goals—every one of them a headed finish off a corner kick. Heading had never been a strength earlier in her career, but like so much else in her game, she developed it quickly, even unexpectedly.
“It wasn’t something I specialized in,” she said. “I wasn’t very tall growing up, so heading wasn’t really part of my game. But the service was great, and I was able to get my head on things. It became a strength I didn’t know I had.”
Cal coach Neil McGuire wasn’t surprised at Metayer’s professional evolution.
“She’s got incredible soccer intellect,” McGuire said. “She understands the game at a really high level, so positionally she can play in a number of spots. Athletically she’s extremely fit. Technically she’s gifted. She can deal with pressure, strike a ball over distance, receive with both feet—she just has a lot of strengths that make her right for the professional game.”
That combination of intelligence, composure, and athleticism turned her into one of the most adaptable players on the Spirit roster. In 2024 alone, she appeared in 20 regular-season matches, making 11 starts, and played across all three levels of the field.
Her first start at outside back came against Arsenal.
“I was like, ‘Oh, we’re playing Arsenal and I’m playing outside back,’” Metayer said. “But it worked out well. I’m grateful for the belief they had in me.”
Spirit head coach Adrián González sees that adaptability as a defining trait.
“It’s so positive for a player to have that many options,” he said. “She’s been open-minded. With her physicality and her quality, she can cover a lot of ground. Inside, outside, higher up, defensively—she can give us so much. And she’s improving. That type of versatility is important for her development and for our team.”
That growth stalled briefly this year when Metayer sustained a knee injury in preseason. Suddenly, a player known for covering ground couldn’t cover any. The timeline for her return was uncertain.
“Nothing’s ever guaranteed,” she said. “I was lucky it wasn’t season-ending, but I had to claw my way back.”
Metayer returned in the second half of the season, appearing in 11 matches, earning four starts, and playing 38 minutes in the quarterfinal against Racing Louisville that was decided on penalties. By the time the playoffs arrived, she felt fully herself again.
And now she’s back where she spent some of the most meaningful years of her life.
Cal’s women’s soccer alumni network is organizing a tailgate for Saturday’s final, and she expects plenty of familiar faces in the stands.
Returning now, with an NWSL title at stake, adds an extra layer of emotion—especially after the Spirit played in front of 40,000 fans at Oracle Park earlier this year.
The Bay FC takes on the Washington Spirit during the first half of an NWSL game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
“That was very, very cool,” she said. “It showed how much the Bay Area wants to support women’s sports. To play the final here is special.”
Brittney Kazee is also charged with an enhancement alleging she used a knife to commit the offense, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
Officers were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 100 block of Fig Tree Lane around 1:40 p.m. Tuesday for a report of a fight between two women. They arrived to find Kazee’s daughter, Shaniyah Kazee, unconscious with a wound to her stomach.
Shaniyah Kazee was taken to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where she died from her injury.
Officers, meanwhile, arrested Brittney Kazee in connection with the fatal stabbing.
Brittney Kazee will be arraigned on the charges Monday in Martinez, prosecutors said. She remains in custody at the Martinez Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
In your report on the horrific killing of coach John Beam, Alameda County Chief Public Defender Brendon Woods argued that “Instead of more jail and prison, we should invest in more effective solutions, such as diversion, mentorship and violence interruption.”
Ironically, Coach Beam exemplified the diversion, mentorship and violence prevention programs that Woods advocates, but the effective result was Beam’s own murder. Stop coddling offenders and restore punishment as a societal norm.
The government shutdown is finally over. This is good news for the nearly 42 million people receiving SNAP, as their full benefits will resume soon. But there is something seriously wrong when our government can take benefits from low-income people (many of whom have jobs). Food banks, though important and appreciated, are simply not in a position to substitute for SNAP funding. Our government has trodden on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and my personal values that food is a right.
But Congress still must pass a budget that protects critical programs that reduce poverty and ensures that the money is spent as directed. They have until Jan. 30 to get it done. Email your representatives and senators now. Tell them to protecty health care, nutrition and housing programs, and include safeguards to ensure the administration spends taxpayer funds as Congress intended.
Sue Oehser Oakland
Healthy diets are good if you can get food
President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, Dr. Casey Means, is a proponent of lifestyle changes, including healthy eating, over medical interventions to treat diseases.
While there is certainly wisdom in eating properly to lower the risk of some illnesses, SNAP benefits in this country are in peril, not just during the recent government shutdown, but from other messages coming out of this administration critical of helping the poor.
It is wrong to insist that people should eat healthy who don’t have the means to do so. It is ignorant to then expect people won’t need medical care to treat the problems that proper nutrition might prevent.
What’s impressive in our democracy is the decision that we, the people, will allot some of our funds to ensure that those in need will have enough to eat.
If Means is serious about changes to medical care, she must also insist that our government fully fund SNAP.
Teri Shikany Danville
Trump will play system again in Epstein case
President Trump suddenly switched his position on the Epstein files by encouraging the House and Senate to vote on its release while simultaneously suggesting the Department of Justice investigate other people he knows had relationships with Jeffrey Epstein and, possibly, Epstein’s underage girls.
Trump’s tactic of running out the clock in court was successful with the Jan. 6 charges against him and will likely achieve the same result when Attorney General Pam Bondi claims the Epstein files can not be opened while the other investigations are underway. They have their ducks lined up. The clock will tick well past the midterms and the ‘28 election as additional names are suggested. Nothing will be released.
While all this might seem legal, a coordinated effort by the DOJ and the president to bury anything about his own participation and avoid possible consequences is corruption … no more, no less.
Barry Brynjulson Pleasanton
Stabilize energy costs before going green
Silicon Valley Power (SVP) will propose a 4% rate increase to the Santa Clara City Council in December.
We must help power companies stay solvent, but spiraling energy costs are not sustainable and are reflected in the cost of everything in California, from rent to food. We need nuclear and hydro to generate electricity, and we are way behind in developing those energy sources.
In the meantime, we must reauthorize natural gas. It’s the bridge fuel that’s supposed to sustain us until greener alternatives are online. California politicians burned that bridge before we could get across it. Imagine millions of electric cars returning home to recharge in 2035 with a grid that can’t support them. And dare I say it, we also need to pump more oil in California to make gas more affordable.
Green — yes, but on a realistic, science-based timeline.
Jim Stoch Carnelian Bay
No evidence Newsom cares about state either
On X, California Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote that “He (President Trump) doesn’t give a damn about you.”
But considering that California’s record on homelessness, taxes and schools leaves much to be desired, I have to wonder whether Newsom truly gives a damn about California voters, besides getting their votes in the 2028 presidential election.
A woman from Contra Costa County has been indicted on federal charges after she allegedly attacked members of a flight crew, a federal agent and a San Francisco International Airport employee on a trip from India to the Bay Area, prosecutors said.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of California, 40-year-old Reshma Kamath of Bethel Island is accused of two counts of interfering with a flight crew, one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer, and one count of interfering with security screening personnel. Kamath made her initial court appearance on Thursday.
Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from an incident in which Kamath was a passenger on board Air India Flight 173 from Delhi, India to San Francisco on June 28 and 29 of this year. During the nonstop 15-hour flight, Kamath allegedly assaulted and intimidated two members of the crew by verbally abusing, threatening and striking them.
Once the flight arrived in San Francisco, she allegedly attacked an airport employee with security duties. Prosecutors said Kamath also struck a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer and resisted arrest.
If convicted, Kamath faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of interfering with a flight crew, eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine for assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for interfering with security screening personnel.
Prosecutors said Kamath’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026.
DEAR JOAN: There is something that I have noticed for years, and I finally decided to ask the only expert I know.
At the southbound Thornton Avenue exit to Interstate 880 in Newark, there are some power lines that extend all the way across the freeway. Every time I go that way I see many birds sitting on the lines, but only on the southbound side, never on the other side.
This is not a once-in-a-while thing; I’ve noticed it for many years.
I’ve never seen them fly away, they all just sit there. Can you think of anything special about these particular power lines?
Inquiring minds want to know.
— Sherry Hughes, Newark
DEAR SHERRY: Not being able to read bird minds, or the minds of any living beings, I can’t say for certain, although I’m sure they have an excellent reason. I can, however, list a few possibilities.
First off, birds really like sitting on elevated lines, whether those are power lines, telecommunication wires or cable lines. The high wires provide an excellent vantage point for surveying the area, giving them a bird’s eye view of the territory. From there, they can look around for food and watch out for predators.
The lines are also a convenient spot for taking a rest and as there are other birds on the line, a chance to converse. They come and go as they please, but it’s not likely they would all fly off at once unless something really frightened the entire flock. It might look like the birds sit there all day and night, but it’s a revolving cast.
Such gatherings also provide some communal support and protection from predators, and in the winter, the combined flocks can offer a little extra warmth.
Considering how much power is surging through the lines, we have to wonder how the birds can casually perch on them and avoid electrocution. The answer? Science.
Just like water, and nature itself, electricity seeks a balance. It flows from high energy points to low energy points. A bird sitting on the wire doesn’t interrupt or redirect the flow, but if it was to have one foot on the wire (high energy) and another on the ground (low energy), the electricity would seek to balance, redirecting through the bird to complete the circuit, with deadly consequences. The birds are remarkably exact about the positioning on the lines, keeping a small but equal distance between them, and avoiding touching anything else.
Why the birds choose one wire and not the other most likely has to do with environmental factors. The wind might be stronger on that side, the wires might not provide the same vantage point, or there could be something on that side of the freeway or the lines themselves, that the birds just don’t care for.
The birds like a clear pathway when they fly off the wire, and the ones on the northbound side might be more advantageous.
Wish we knew for certain, but maybe one day the birds will talk.
The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.
The Crusaders scored 28 points in the first quarter and didn’t look back in a rout of Salinas at home. Despite having four touchdowns called back because of penalties, the San Francisco school had no problem moving the ball against the Cowboys. The lead grew insurmountable in the second half as a running clock initiated in the third quarter. Riordan (10-0) will play Serra (7-4) for the Open Division title next week. – Nathan Canilao
No. 2 Serra 29, No. 7 Archbishop Mitty 13
The Padres rushed for 312 yards and shut down Mitty’s offensive attack to cruise to a 16-point win at home. Speedy receiver Charlie Walsh led Serra with a rushing and a receiving score. Kicker Saul Marks knocked in three field goals and Serra’s defense forced three turnovers.S Serra will get a rematch with Riordan – after falling to the Crusaders in the WCAL regular season finale – in the Open Division finals next week. Nathan Canilao was in San Mateo and has the story here.
CCS Division II
No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral 34, No. 7 Wilcox 21
After trailing by two at halftime, the Fightin’ Irish took over the game behind a second-half surge to down visiting Wilcox at City College of San Francisco. Three second half touchdowns from quarterback Michael Sargent charged SHC’s offense, and the San Francisco school’s defense held Wilcox to just one score in the final two periods to seal the win. SHC (5-6) will host another South Bay powerhouse in undefeated Santa Teresa (11-0) next week. – Nathan Canilao
No. 4 Menlo School 17, No. 5 The King’s Academy 7
Menlo earned a hard-fought postseason win, defeating TKA at home. Quarterback Jack Freehill threw a touchdown pass to Chuck Wynn and Trevor van der Pyl’s 82-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter sealed the win for Menlo. Dylan O’ Malley rounded out Menlo’s scoring with a 27-yard first-quarter field goal. Quarterback Jaiden Flores to wide receiver Ricky Gutierrez was the only score TKA had on Saturday. Menlo (9-2) will travel to top-seeded St. Ignatius next week for its semifinal game. TKA ends its season 9-2. – Nathan Canilao
CCS Division V
No. 2 Sobrato 28, No. 7 Santa Cruz 17
Sobrato advanced to the Division V semifinals after defeating Santa Cruz at home. Junior running back Brady Lennon led the way with rushing touchdowns from 35 and 10 yards. Jacob Sorrentino had a 75-yard touchdown grab and senior Jacob Kimerer had a 65-yard touchdown run. Sobrato improved to 7-4 and will host Terra Nova (8-3) next week.
NCS Division V
No. 3 Salesian 38, No. 6 Northgate 33
Quarterback Izeah Buchanan tossed four touchdown passes to lead the Pride to a win over Northgate at home. Basketball star Carlton Perrilliat Jr. caught two touchdown passes while Joseph Tarin had two receiving scores of his own as Salesian will advance to the section semifinals at Ferndale next Saturday. Senior Jahlil Lindsey had a 95-yard scoop-and-score and kicker Roberto Mora knocked in a 27-yard field goal to round out the scoring for Salesian. Northgate (5-6) ends its 2025 season one game under .500. – Nathan Canilao
The lapse in SNAP benefits is affecting Bay Area stores where recipients would do their shopping. One store owner said he was not only worried for the well-being of his shoppers but for his business as well.
Lucky Breimah knows just about everyone in this North Richmond neighborhood. His store, Rancho Market, has been a fixture, a small grocery store and deli in an area that’s otherwise a food desert, referring to a neighborhood without many other grocery stores nearby.
“I know everybody here. Twenty years, I watched them growing up,” said Breimah.
That’s why it was so hard when he wasn’t seeing the families and seniors who came in using their CalFresh benefits.
“I was really worried about them, and the first three days it was really troubling, like how are they going to survive?” he said.
He said he offered them as much help as he could.
“I do give away what I can, but I can’t give much. You can’t help so many people, you know?” said Breimah.
He estimates 25-30% percent of his sales are on CalFresh cards, and without the benefits continuing, he couldn’t afford to stay in business through the end of the month.
“They don’t have too many stores. A lot of them have faded out, so this is essential to this area here. It’s very important to keep this store here,” said Katrena Ledbetter who grew up in the area.
She said a lot of the people who live in the area are limited on transportation, often walking to the store to get what they need.
“We have just seen a lot of chaos and anxiety as people struggle to figure out whether they’re going to be able to put food on the table,” said Caitlyn Sly, the executive director of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano.
She said at one of their distribution events on Sunday, 100 extra families showed up compared to the previous events.
“We will usually see 10 or 20 new people depending on the site, but that many new folks coming to us really tells us that without benefits, people aren’t able to afford groceries,” said Sly.
The severe impacts of the cuts mean recovery will take some time.
“It’s a big chain, chain reaction. Sometimes people think it’s so little, but that little thing has so much chain reaction. It affects me. It affects my family,” said Breimah.
Contra Costa County supervisors approved an emergency debit card program for CalFresh recipients if benefits were not restored for November. It looks like they don’t need that this month, but it could come in handy in December if the government shutdown continues.
As the government shutdown moves into its second month, concerns are rising about the loss of food benefits that millions of Americans depend on.
In a time of rising prices and a sudden loss of federal help, Contra Costa County says it is declaring a local emergency to get help quickly to the thousands of residents who need it.
At the Richmond Food Center market, Mohamed Nasser says his customers are frightened by the sudden halt in SNAP benefits. And the rapid hike in food prices has already been affecting the way they spend what cash they may have, even before the government shutdown.
“People are buying less candy, less junk food, and less alcoholic beverages. Because when you know you’re going to run out of food, your priorities kick in,” said Nasser. “Everybody’s panicking. It seems to be the topic, coming in like, ‘oh, what are we going to do? How are we going to go about this?’ Everybody is shopping, trying to get the pantry filled up. But there’s only so much that they can do, with what they have.”
The suspension of federal food assistance is the topic of conversation in lower-income communities of Contra Costa County. Supervisor John Gioia says the freeze is impacting a huge number of people.
“It would affect one in eight Americans, and 107,000 Contra Costa residents who are enrolled in CalFresh,” he said. “I mean, look at it. That’s about one in ten county residents who rely on these very important food benefits.”
Food banks and church programs are doing what they can to supply emergency rations, but the county will take official action on Tuesday — declaring a local emergency and implementing a plan to issue food debit cards to residents who are currently enrolled in the federal program. It will cost about $21 million to cover the amount lost for one month, if the shutdown should last that long.
Gioia says it’s only possible because Contra Costa has been prudent in the way it’s spent its money.
“We have a AAA bond rating, we have over $500 million in reserves. If we can’t use our emergency reserves for something like this, what SHOULD we be using it for?” said Gioia.
And he said it won’t just help the residents, it will also keep the 706 stores, like the Richmond Food Center, operating.
Nasser says halting SNAP will impact his business greatly.
“At least 40 percent of our business gone, overnight, because we rely on it heavily,” he said.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to continue the SNAP benefits, but Gioia says he’s shocked that there’s even a question whether the order might be ignored or delayed. The federal shutdown may be viewed in Washington as a chess match — or, perhaps, a game of chicken — but customer Chanelle Mack says, in places like Richmond, it is having real-world consequences.
“You’re looking at possibly cutting out something, not paying your bills, not paying your lights, not doing something. That money has to come from somewhere, and where’s it going to come from?” she said. “So, now you’re going to have people stealing and people trying just to live and survive. So, it’s like Hunger Games. We’re literally playing Hunger Games when they’re weaponizing food.”
The average monthly SNAP benefit is $573 for a family of three. Gioia says, once it gets authorization at Tuesday’s meeting, the county will begin issuing the debit cards at Employment and Human Services Department offices in Richmond, Hercules, Pleasant Hill and Antioch at the following addresses:
1305 MacDonald Ave., Richmond
151 Linus Pauling Dr., Hercules
400 Ellinwood Way, Pleasant Hill
4545 Delta Fair Blvd., Antioch
Starting on Monday, free food boxes will be available at those same locations for residents, regardless of whether they are signed up for the CalFresh program or not.
OAKLAND — BART passengers were experiencing delays Sunday due to maintenance operations and police activity that hampered trips on sections of the Bay Area transit system.
In one occurrence, a 10-minute delay had occurred Sunday morning at the Coliseum station in Oakland in the direction of Daly City due to police activity. It wasn’t disclosed which law enforcement agency was involved. By 9:30 a.m., that delay had ended.
BART also reported Sunday morning that a 10-minute delay was underway on the San Francisco line in the direction of Berryessa in San Jose, Antioch, and Millbrae due to overnight track maintenance. By 10 a.m., that advisory had ended.
In recent months, BART passengers have suffered through mammoth delays and systemwide shutdowns that snarled the regional transit system.
From classic movies with live music to new tunes from Vampire Weekend and a Grateful Dead Celtic band, there’s a lot to see and hear this weekend in the Bay Area.
Here’s a partial rundown.
Classical picks: Hitchcock + orchestra; New Century
This week’s events light up the classical music scene with an iconic film score, a symphony at the opera, and a tribute to the seasons.
Halloween-appropriate: Scary enough? It has to be, when the San Francisco Symphony’s “Film with Live Orchestra” series presents Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” featuring composer Bernard Herrmann’s brilliantly spooky score. With the film on the big screen, conductor Conner Gray Covington will lead the orchestra in a live performance of the spine-tingling music. Come early to see the Symphony’s latest Art Installation, “Dia de los Muertos,” for a pre-show treat.
Symphony at the Opera: Since the start of fall, San Francisco Opera has brought dazzling productions to the stage; now, with “Parsifal” up and running and “The Monkey King” still to come, the company is presenting a concert conducted by company Music Director Eun Sun Kim. This one-night-only event features mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack singing works by Manuel de Falla; Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony completes the 90-minute program.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1; War Memorial Opera House, San Francisco; $29-$250; sfopera.com.
New Century, new “Seasons”: The New Century Chamber Orchestra starts the fall season with Vivaldi’s beloved “Four Seasons,” along with works by Dvorak and Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova; conducted by company music director Daniel Hope, four performances are on the schedule.
Details: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at First Church UCC, Berkeley; 7:30 Oct. 31 at Empress Theatre, Vallejo; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 at Herbst Theatre, San Francisco; and 2 p.m. Nov. 2 at Osher Marin JCC, San Rafael; tickets $35-up; ncco.org.
— Georgia Rowe, Correspondent
More movies and music
Fans of classic silent films can catch two of them — “Phantom of the Opera” and “Nosferatu” — at Grace Cathedral this weekend. But the real star of the events won’t be on the screen but seated at Grace Cathedral’s famed 7,500-pipe Aeolian-Skinner organ, which has been a key facet of the church since it was installed in 1934. The organ will be played by musician Dorothy Papadakos, who started out as a jazz pianist in her native Reno and has evolved into a world-renowned organ player, thanks in part to her long stint as organist at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York as well as her Grammy-winning stint with the Paul Winter Consort (their live album “Silver Solstice” remains a New Age/ambient classic).
Papadakos is, among other things, considered a talented improviser, which will come in hand in these gigs. She’ll accompany the 1925 silent version of “Phantom of the Opera” starring Lon Chaney, at 8 p.m. Oct. 30, and the 1922 version of “Nosferatu” — a film that was once ordered destroyed because it was deemed to be an unauthorized adaptation (read: ripoff) of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” — at 8 p.m. Oct. 31. The church — which is a San Francisco landmark and always worth a visit — is at Taylor and California streets in San Francisco. Tickets are $34.50-$44.50; go to www.sfjazz.org.
— Bay City News Foundation
Cool shows, great album
In late October of last year, Vampire Weekend performed two memorable sold-out shows — an evening gig, followed the very next day by a matinee performance — at the legendary Madison Square Garden in New York City. The shows included many longtime Vampire Weekend fan favorites, of course, such as “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma.”
Yet, the NYC-born indie-pop act — led by vocalist-lyricist-guitarist Ezra Koenig — also performed a wonderful assortment of cover songs during those two shows. The list includes a number of Big Apple-appropriate tunes, such as the easily recognizable “Seinfeld Theme,” the Frank Sinatra favorite “Theme From New York, New York,” the Ramones’ blistering “Blitzkrieg Bop” and Billy Joel’s classic “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” the latter of which was reportedly performed with a candlelit table and waiter in a tux on the Garden stage.
Other cuts to make the Vampire Weekend setlist were The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside,” Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House,” The Surfaris’ “Wipe Out,” Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” and Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back in Town.”
Now all VW fans can experience the shows thanks to “Weekend at the Garden,” a limited edition double-LP recorded during that epic NYC stand. The offering, which includes portions of the two performances rather than the complete shows, is part of the band’s Frog on the Bass Drum vinyl series.
The Shaker Theater is showing the original 1968 “Night of the Living Dead” in a warehouse with a haunted maze in October 2025 in Oakland. (Shaker Theater)
Pop-up theater brings scares to Bay Area
This Halloween, you can see a scary movie in your local AMC theater. Or you can watch one as perhaps it was meant to be watched: In a dark warehouse full of horrific decor, where it feels like zombies could break down the door any minute.
The Shaker Theater is a new underground pop-up cinema in a residential part of northern Oakland. For its inaugural run, it’s been playing George Romero’s 1968 “Night of the Living Dead” during October, with final runs up until Halloween evening. It’s the uncensored, 96-minute original preserved on real celluloid. There will be popcorn and soda and, for more fun, before the movie the theater is playing clips from its “deep archives of rare and bizarre material.” Think Halloween safety films, forgotten trailers and classic monster-movie moments.
To get into the screening, visitors must first navigate a “Corridor of Horror” designed by local artist Rob Vertigo. Picture a classic haunted house, but turned into spooky-maze form. Did your group just lose a member? It’s probably nothing to worry about, they’re no doubt right behind you …. Wait, that’s not Chad! (Screams.)
Details: Preshow begins at 6:30 p.m. and movie starts at 8 p.m.; 950 54th St., Oakland; $18 online or $20 at the door; instagram.com/shakertheater.
— John Metcalfe, Staff
Freebie of the week
We tend to think of great film experiences as those that expose us to brilliant camerawork, incisive dialogue, or a poignant or hilarious reflection on the world at large. But let’s not forget the joys that await us at the other end of the spectrum. There is nothing quite like experiencing a truly terrible film with a room full of gleefully derisive bad-movie fans. There’s a reason why “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” spawned three sequels and too many spoofs and homages to count, and it wasn’t John K. Culley’s nuanced cinematography. Halloween, it seems, is a favorite time to indulge in bad-movie bliss, probably because violent mutant vegetables and irritable aliens fit most comfortably in the horror genre.
And so it is that this week delivers the opportunity to view one of the most glorious and beloved bad movies of all time, “Robot Monster.” The film, in case the clever title doesn’t make it obvious, is about an alien robot sent to destroy Earth but who defies its orders when it saves an imperiled woman from certain death. The 1953 film took four days and $20,000 to make, $4,000 of which was spent on incorporating 3D technology. One of the stars was cast because he already owned a gorilla suit and therefore didn’t need to be costumed. So, yeah, this was not an extravagant production. Yet, it grossed $1 million in its first year and has gone on to be a favorite among those who revel in the wonders of wretched filmmaking. If such a buffet of bad moviemaking – in 3D!! – is your thing, “Robot Monster” will screen at 6 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Internet Archive, 300 Funston Ave., San Francisco. The screening is free but if you feel like making a donation to the Internet Archive or co-presenter the Golden Gate Stereoscopic Society — both of which are dedicated to preserving humankind’s digital history — certainly no one would hold it against you.
When you think about it, Wake the Dead would be a tremendous name for a screeching-loud punk band or maybe a Goth band. But the real Wake the Dead is neither of those things. It is a collection of very talented Bay Area musicians merging two of their musical passions – Grateful Dead classics and Irish/Celtic music. The name is certainly appropriate, as it references the Dead as well as Irish wakes, which are known to be deeply heartfelt and celebratory affairs. The moniker also mirrors the title of the Dead’s 1973 album “Wake of the Flood,” the first recording the band released acting as its own label. Adding to the plays on words, the band’s annual gig at the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley celebrates the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), the holiday widely observed in Mexico, in which family members and friends gather to honor loved ones who have passed away.
If all this is simply too much to ponder, just know that Wake the Dead will, per tradition, return to the Freight & Salvage on Nov. 1 to perform a Day of the Dead-themed show at which you are likely to hear high-energy Celtic takes on such Dead classics as “China Cat Sunflower” and “Eyes of the World.”
Details: The show begins at 8 p.m.; tickets are $26.50-$44; or you can livestream the show for $25; more information is at thefreight.org.
— Bay City News Foundation
Celebrating Día de los Muertos
The skeletons are dangling from the windows and looming merrily overhead the staircase in the festive lobby of Davies Hall, as the San Francisco Symphony gears up at 3 p.m. Nov. 1 to mount its 18th annual celebration of the Day of the Dead, the joyous Mexican tradition held to pay love and respect to ancestors who have passed on. The centerpiece of the festivities is a symphony concert, but multiple preconcert family-friendly activities are planned in the lobby and upper floors, including marigold flower making, offering-altar installations, a mariachi instrument petting zoo, sugar skull decorating and costumed dancers from Casa Círculo Cultural. The Symphony, conducted by Lina González-Granados, will perform traditional and contemporary Latin American music associated with the holiday, including Gabriela Ortiz’s “Kauyumari,” selections from Arturo Márquez’s “Espejos en la Arena,” the Intermezzo from Ricardo Castro’s “Atzimba” opera, Paul Desenne’s “Hipnosis Mariposa,” Jimmy Lopez’s “Loud,” Márquez’s popular Danzón No. 2 and Gabriela Lena Frank’s “The Mestizo Waltz.”
Details: Tickets, which are 50 percent off for those under 18, range from $27.50-$175; go to www.sfsymphony.org.
— Bay City News Foundation
An orchestral showcase
The San Francisco Opera takes a breather from its usual regimen of presenting full-fledged and lavish operatic productions to let Music Director Eun Sun Kim shine a solo spotlight on her instrumentalists in a single night concert of music by Ludwig van Beethoven and Manuel de Falla at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 in War Memorial Opera House. The program opens with “Siete Canciones Populares Españolas,” a set of songs inspired by de Falla’s home country of Spain, sung by mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack, and continues with the second orchestral suite from the same composer’s ballet “El Sombrero de Tres Picos” (“The Three-Cornered Hat”). Following the intermission, the concert will conclude with Beethoven’s mighty Fifth Symphony. Tickets, $29-$250, can be purchased through www.sfopera.com.
BRENTWOOD – After a nationwide search and careful review of candidates, the Brentwood City Council unanimously approved the appointment of G. Harold Duffey as the next city manager.
He stated that integrity and transparency are principles he follows in his role as city manager.
“If I lose the trust of the council, I’ve lost the council,” Duffey, who has three decades of local government experience, said.
As city manager, part of his role is to ensure that he and city staff fulfill their obligations and responsibilities by providing councilmembers with relevant information that enables them to make informed decisions.
“I’ve, of course, have had great projects, the best projects of all available. And the council tweaks it, changes it,” said Duffey. “I say to my staff, OK, the train is leaving. Get on the train. Let’s make sure we get this thing done.”
Public concerns related to Duffey’s appointment have centered on his background and qualifications, prompting councilmembers to address the matter on Tuesday night.
Mayor Susannah Meyer said the City Council is not a “rubber stamp” and “does not blindly” approve matters, adding that they spend a lot of time researching issues before every meeting.
“We are not stupid; we are not blind. People are sending us things that we’ve already seen,” said Meyer, in reference to social media posts about Duffey. “In fact, Mr. Duffey shared these things with us before anyone did. He was transparent with us before anyone told us or showed us.”
Vice Mayor Pa’tanisha Pierson said residents may question a city manager’s qualifications, but must ensure their information is accurate and not based on assumptions or stereotypes.
The concerns over Duffey’s appointment revealed “bias,” said Pierson.
“As a Black woman from Oakland, I’ve spent my life navigating spaces where excellence is simply because it doesn’t fit a certain mode,” said Pierson. “I know what it feels like to have questions and qualifications scrutinized more harshly and contributions minimized way too quickly, and I also recognize a pattern in our city.”
She said previously, residents have also spoken against “highly qualified Black professionals” in leadership roles.
“When excellence continues to be met with skepticism only when it comes in Black skin, it’s not a coincidence; it is a bias,” said Pierson. “So, when I hear statements that amount to, ‘I don’t want him because he’s Black,’ I feel a responsibility to call that mess out.”
Councilmember Faye Maloney said Duffey’s hiring was “the most intricate process” she’s been part of, as it took a lot of time, collaboration, and discussions.
She also had high praise for Duffey, adding she was impressed with him during the interview process. Maloney apologized to Duffey on behalf of the community.
“Some people’s comments were very derogatory. I am sorry that you have to go through and experience that,” said Maloney, adding she was appalled by them.
She hoped residents would give Duffey a chance to prove his skills and help further build Brentwood.
In 2010, Californians voted to create a nonpartisan Citizens Redistricting Commission to stop decades of gerrymandering. That reform was meant to restore fairness and ensure that all Californians — regardless of political affiliation — had a meaningful voice in representation.
Today, Proposition 50 threatens to undo that progress. If passed, it would allow California’s Democratic supermajority to tighten its control even further, reducing Republican representation in Congress from an already disproportionate 17% to just 8%, despite conservatives about 28% of likely voters.
Gov. Newsom’s support for this measure shows a willingness to suppress representation in pursuit of partisan gain. Such actions contradict the very principles of democracy and reveal a troubling hypocrisy. California deserves fairness — not one-party rule masquerading as reform.
Allowing private donors to pay government expenses — and especially allowing them to specify which government expenses they pay — is a terrible idea, regardless of its legality. (It’s probably illegal, as noted in the article.) That’s true whether it involves military salaries or a new wing on the White House.
Congress controls how much the government spends and on what. If the people don’t approve of the way Congress appropriates tax dollars, they can complain to their representatives or vote them out of office. Acknowledging that Congress isn’t functioning particularly well right now, if ultra-wealthy individuals fund government and the people don’t approve, what recourse do we have? That’s government by the wealthy, for the wealthy (aka, oligarchy), and the rest of us will be left with even less power than we have now.
There’s a reason that government agencies are allowed to spend only amounts appropriated by Congress.
Phil Sanders Fremont
Hegseth and Trump celebrate a slaughter
On Dec. 29, 1890, 300 Lakota Indian men, women and children were massacred by the United States Cavalry at Wounded Knee, South Dakota. A few days later, they were buried in unmarked graves. The soldiers who took part in the massacre were awarded Medals of Honor. The myth was that Wounded Knee was a battle when, in reality, it was a massacre.
There was an attempt by Joe Biden’s Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, to revoke the medals from the soldiers by ordering a review. However, the current Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, stopped the review, saying that the soldiers should keep their medals. For his action, Hegseth, along with his boss, President Trump, are celebrating the massacre of American Indians.
Republicans claim they cannot provide SNAP benefits on Nov. 1 if the government remains shut down. That’s not true. SNAP has a $5 billion-$6 billion contingency fund. Republicans are shamefully using the more than 40 million Americans who rely on SNAP as pawns, creating a hunger crisis to pressure Democrats to submit to Donald Trump’s will.
However, Democrats should not give up their fight to save our health care. Congress only has two weeks left to extend the ACA premium tax credits. Once open enrollment ends, the dramatic increases in health insurance premiums will be locked in — even if Congress acts later.
Meanwhile, this shutdown is really expensive. According to White House’s Council of Economic Advisors, this shutdown could cost the U.S. economy $15 billion a week.
What are we doing? Trump and Congress need to start negotiating on a bipartisan basis in good faith to reopen the government and extend ACA premium tax credits.
Jennifer Huber El Sobrante
In fact, GOP isn’t so tough on crime
The Trump administration is now using the National Guard for law enforcement in cities with shrinking crime statistics, in direct conflict with local officials and likely even federal law.
The president also pardoned 1,500 people for assaulting local and federal police officers while storming our nation’s Capitol and threatening to execute elected federal officials. Similarly, Trump commuted most of George Santos’ sentence and the administration granted favorable treatment to Ghislaine Maxwell.
All this while firing many senior officials in the Department of Justice, reducing federal funds for local law enforcement and prosecuting political enemies.
That is under the leadership of a draft-dodger, adjudicated sex offender and convicted fraudster. Don’t forget the never-completed efforts to prosecute him for election fraud and classified document cases.
Yet, the president has faced no resistance or objection from a Republican-controlled Congress. Are they strong on crime? I don’t think so.
Jim Kenna Brentwood
We should make health care a human right
Health care access and affordability has been an ongoing ethical issue. Millions of people are having a difficult time affording medical care, insurance and medication, and it is affecting their overall health and quality of life.
A couple of factors that are limiting their access to health care are income and location. I strongly believe that to prevent suffering, health care should be a human right and not a business for profit.
Health care access, affordable medication, health programs and insurance should be prioritized for our well-being, as well as protecting everyone, promoting public health and building strength in our communities.
A woman was arrested and accused of killing a man in Bay Point Thursday, the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office said.
Officials said Muir Station deputy sheriffs were dispatched to a medical-police call at a home on Solano Court just before 11:30 a.m.
Deputies entered the home and found a man bleeding from stab wounds, authorities report. The man received first aid and was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to officials, 57-year-old Libelyn Utt of Bay Point was identified as the suspect and arrested at the scene. She was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on suspicion of murder and is being held without bail, authorities said.
South Bay tech company Bill.com and East Bay energy giant Chevron have revealed plans for new rounds of job cuts that are poised to displace well over 100 workers in the Bay Area, filings with the state government show.
The layoffs are a reminder that job cuts in the tech industry have yet to run their course, as a wide range of tech companies continue to reveal their plans to trim staffing levels in the region.
Bill.com logo on the tech company’s office building at 6220 America Center Drive in north San Jose. (Google Maps)
Chevron, which has moved its headquarters from San Ramon to Houston in another example of the corporate exodus from California to Texas, revealed prior layoffs that erased 600 jobs in the Bay Area.
According to WARN notices the companies sent to the state Employment Development Department, the layoffs include:
— Bill is cutting 84 jobs in North San Jose at the company’s headquarters complex. These layoffs are expected to take effect on Dec. 15, the WARN letter to the EDD shows.
— Chevron is eliminating 100 jobs in San Ramon, an East Bay city where the energy giant had once based its headquarters, according to the WARN letter. These most recent cutbacks are due to occur on Oct. 23. Chevron is also cutting 75 jobs in the Kern County city of Bakersfield.
Bill and Chevron both stated that the layoffs would be permanent.
“We are providing severance pay, medical continuation coverage, access to education and training resources, and outplacement assistance,” Henry Perea, Chevron’s manager of state government affairs, wrote in the WARN letter to the EDD.
OAKLAND — Burning Man Decompression 2025 is a celebration of the arts, bringing elements of Black Rock City to the local Bay Area community. Burning Man art installations, mutant vehicles and performances will grace the streets of Oakland in an event that is meant to help participants transition back to daily life and share the spirit of self-expression and community found at the Burn. The celebration will start at 2 p.m. with family-friendly programs and continue into the evening with more performances, maker and technology demos, speakers, workshops, a mini film-festival, food and drinks, and much more. The festival goes till midnight with bonus indoor festivities till 3:00 a.m.
A person walks past ‘NewClear Neural,’ an art project by artist Gazelle Dasti, featured as one of the installations for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Artists unload a segment of a steel and stained glass sculpture ‘Orbs’ as one of the installation projects for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) ‘NewClear Neural,’ an art project by artist Gazelle Dasti, featured as one of the installations for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) A person walks past “Un Nuevo Camino,” an art project by Mark Rivera, featured as one of the installations for Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Artist David Oliver, of Ventura, works on his steel and stained glass sculpture ‘Orbs’ as one of the installation projects for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) ‘Missing Link,’ a collaboration of 10 local artists, is set up in the installation for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) Sculptures by artist Gaele Warner are displayed for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) ‘Whispers of Waste’ sculpture by artist Zulu Heru is displayed for the Burning Man’s Decompression event at Embarcadero Cove in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Thousands of artists, performers, and community members are expected to attend the event on Saturday, which has moved from San Francisco to Oakland for the first time since the late 1990s. Interactive art, live performances, music stages, and community installations will be on display during this one-day civic celebration. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
