State

OAKLAND—Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual event, Oakland Cocktail Week, will be held virtually, which kicks off from September 10 thru October 11. The event will start with broadcasting the 2018 documentary, “Town Spirit: A Tribute to Oakland’s Enduring Bar culture,” and finish with the Town Throw-down cocktail competition. From September 18 thru October 9, there would be a...

SAN FRANCISCO—On Thursday, October 1, Vermond Jones, a 21-year-old San Francisco resident, died from a gunshot near Union Square after he allegedly attempted to rob an adult male victim, the San Francisco Police Department and the San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office announced. The SFPD revealed on their website that officers heard the gunshot coming from the 100 block of Geary...

CALIFORNIA—Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Dr. Tomas J. Aragon as California's newest director of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) on Monday, December 7. Dr. Aragon, who currently serves as San Francisco's health officer, must be confirmed by the California State Senate. After the governor's announcement at a briefing in Sacramento, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said on Twitter: "Dr. Aragon...

CALIFORNIA—On January 27, State Senator Dave Min introduced a bill that if passed, would ban gun sales and gun shows on state-owned property. In a news release, Senator Min said Senate Bill (SB) 264 would "prohibit the sale of firearms or ammunition on state property," which would "effectively" end "gun shows on public property across" California. In a February 10 tweet,...

CALIFORNIA—Nelson Enrike Ramirez, 40, has been charged with being involved with a series of robberies within the Bay Area, federal prosecutors said in a news release. One of the robberies that the complaint said Ramirez committed was at a 7-Eleven on Washington Boulevard in Fremont on November 6, 2020. According to the authorities, Ramirez entered the 7-Eleven wearing a black or...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Dixie Fire has grown to 190,625 acres since July 14 and has been 20 percent contained as of Sunday, July 25. Pyro Cumulus clouds caused extreme fire danger and less stable conditions for air tankers. The fire has been active for 11 days and runs above the Cresta Dam and Feather River Canyon. Recent reports from CAL FIRE...

CASTRO VALLEY—Two people were found dead inside a Castro Valley home on the 20500 block of Forest Avenue on Wednesday, June 26. Deputies from the Alameda County Sheriff's Department were conducting a welfare check on the home when they discovered the deceased bodies. Authorities determined the cause of death was the result of gunshot wounds. Deputies received a call at...

UNION CITY—Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting that occurred in the parking lot of Searles Elementary School on Saturday, November 23.  Calls came into the Union City Police Department with reports of gunshots around 1:26 a.m. near Sherman and Colgate Drive. Upon arriving on the scene, officers found two male victims in the school parking lot suffering from gunshot wounds....

CALIFORNIA—The state of California is allowing barbershops and hair salons in most California counties to reopen to customers again. While California Governor Gavin Newsom has let much of the state open up barbershops and hair salons, the only Bay Area counties that can open up those services immediately are Solano, Sonoma and Napa. The rest of the Bay Area, including San...

CALIFORNIA—On Monday, July 20, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced new guidelines for salons, barbershops, and other personal care businesses to reopen outdoors. He announced that in order to let these businesses continue their operations outside, he has waived statewide licensing regulations so that businesses who were previously forced to close can now service their customers outside, as long as...