Berkeleyside

Berkeley's 2026 crop of ballot measures includes proposals to create a public bank and double the city's soda tax.

Eight-year-old Forest & Flour was a Grand Lake Avenue farmers market staple, boasting inclusive ingredients and high wages for workers

Measure Z, a parcel tax to fund a regional public bank, is on the November’ ballot. Proponents say it will invest in worthy local causes.

Some are considering programs run by France, Canada and other countries that aim to recruit weary U.S. researchers.

At a fencing club in West Berkeley, First Person Story has carved out room for small groups of underrepresented storytellers to bond, break silences, rehash, rehearse and let loose in raucous live shows.

Sections of University Avenue and West Frontage Road will be closed from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. as triathletes compete.

The American Heart Association has poured nearly $300,000 into an otherwise quiet campaign to double Berkeley’s soda tax.

Igor Tregub says his experience makes him the best pick to represent Central Berkeley. Majdi Gaith says he’ll bring a fresh perspective.

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

Also: Fights in downtown around Berkeley High's Unity Week left a 14-year-old with a concussion, and a downtown ambassador was kicked and punched while trying to stop a nerf gun battle.

ICE agents are making more aggressive arrests in public view, attorneys say, sometimes without valid warrants.

The district approved the $175 million deal to turn the racetrack into a park on Wednesday, though several boxes remain to be checked before the sale is final.

Hidalgo-style barbacoa, giant churros, and sweet corn tamales are just a few of the foods to try at the weekly Pulga in North Richmond.

Other events include Día de los Muertos-themed workshops, a warehouse sale at Pegasus Books and three Berkeley High Jazz fall concerts.

County dispatchers are temporarily handling 911 calls from Berkeley, police said.

Mixologists, chefs, and bakers are experimenting with this green leaf in everything from cocktails to bagels.

With elections weeks away, immigrant communities are bracing for a heightened ICE presence — and are concerned about their safety at the polls.

Ka’Dijah Brown, Jennifer Shanoski and Sandy Park are on the ballot for the three Berkeley school board seats. Reichi Lee is waging a write-in campaign.

A committee chose Sí Se Puede Park as the new name for the waterfront open space. The City Council is poised to approve the pick next week.

Crews from multiple fire agencies have responded, and Cal Fire is dropping water from the sky as wary residents watch from across the East Bay.

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

The poll showed Chromebooks were used 37 minutes per day in middle school, 20 in HS. But some parents said they suspect actual usage is higher and pleaded for a full ban on phones and AI.

Three years ago, the East Bay Regional Park District allowed e-bikes on trails. An informal survey shows hikers on Iron Horse Trail now feel unsafe.

Incumbent Mark Humbert supports a plan to allow larger apartments in the Elmwood. Challengers Mari Mendonca and Michael Wallman oppose it.

Journalist Janet Byron recounts her experience covering the blaze that turned catastrophic on Oct. 20, 1991, as a newbie reporter at the Oakland Tribune.

When Gary and I moved from Ithaca, N.Y., back to the Bay Area in 1990 and looked for a house, the threat of fire never crossed my mind.

Thomas Appleton writes about how Alta Bates staff treated dozens of burned patients while watching the fire approach the hospital.

We produced a 30-minute podcast looking back at the historic "Tunnel Fire" blaze that forever changed how the East Bay looks at wildfires.

Berkeley Ace Hardware and Berkeley Humane (both est. 1895) are among the hundreds of organizations 25 years or older celebrated.

Also: Wanda Stewart, who hosted free food giveaways at her South Berkeley home, was displaced by a fire.

Judith Heumann House will house about 1,100 UC Berkeley undergraduates, the centerpiece of a controversial plan for the long-contested land

Daruma Sushi, Crepes A-Go-Go, and Alborz were among the recent East Bay closures.

Transit leaders say train and bus systems will collapse without the 0.5% sales tax. Opponents say taxes are too high already.

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

The utility planned to cut power nearly 5,000 customers in Alameda County, including many in the to prepare for high wildfire risk.

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

Other events include a Harvest Festival, a walking tour of UC Berkeley’s history with East Asia and a bike camping workshop.

Millions of Californians will participate in the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 15. We’ve rounded up tips and resources to help you prepare.

The California Department of Education overruled a BUSD investigation that found the photo from a student protest to be free speech. The state ordered antisemitism training for the district for the fourth time since August.

Chef Sujin Kim centers fermentation through housemade jang, inventive kimchi and other dishes that go beyond Korean comfort food.

Officials say Berkeley could close a fire station and make other painful cuts if Measure V fails. Critics say the city should find another way.

PG&E sent alerts to 70,000 customers statewide that they may lose power later this week as a precaution against dry offshore winds.

A rally is planned at Civic Center Park, with other events scheduled near the Cal campus, on Fourth Street and on freeway overpasses.

North Beach Pizza is moving from its current Berkeley location into the restaurant space on University Avenue in downtown.

Incumbents Ida Martinac and Nathan Mizell are joining Avery Arbaugh, Vylma Ortiz and Derek Rodriguez on a “right to housing” slate, with independent candidate Carole Marasovic also in the running.

Also: A new Cal Team Store opens at California Memorial Stadium, a pop-up teaches traditional Japanese craft, and former Berkeley School teachers open a home-based preschool.

Cere Tea, World of Hoagies, Top Dog, and Pin Rice were among the recent restaurant openings.

The Berkeley Animal Care Services facility is not yet all the way repaired, but has resumed most normal services, officials say.

The diocese was seeking to resolve over 300 sexual abuse claims through a bankruptcy relief plan that needed court approval.

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