In the five calendar years from 2019 through 2023, property crimes, defined as residential, commercial and auto burglaries, decreased or remained flat in Orinda, according to a presentation by Orinda Police Chief Ryan Sullivan at a Feb. 13 special meeting of Orinda’s Public Safety Subcommittee Council. The meeting came in response to residents’ concerns over perceived increases in crime.     “We did this annual report (on property crimes) early because of the community concerns,” said City Manager David Biggs. “Normally we wouldn’t do this until April or Ma ..read more

(Charleen Earley, Photographer) Mayor Darlene Gee shares Orinda’s achievements and vulnerabilities at the annual State of the City Address on March 13, a luncheon hosted by the Rotary Club of Orinda.     Mayor Darlene Gee greeted a well-attended State of the City address and luncheon on March 13 at the Orinda Community Center, hosted by the Rotary Club of Orinda and emceed by Rotary President Clay Deanhardt.     Before introducing Gee, Deanhardt noted March 8 was International Women’s Day and acknowledged Orinda’s all-women city council member team, stating “Sai ..read more

(Jeff Heyman, Photographer)     It was standing room only at the Orinda Library Auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 10, as the lion dancers of Tomizaki’s Champions Kung Fu Institute chased away the bad spirits of last year and rang in the Year of the Dragon. The annual Lunar New Year celebration, which has become a traditional event, was hosted by the Orinda Library with the generous support of Roselyn and Weylin Eng of Orinda. At the end of the performance, much to the delight of children, parents and grandparents, the Concord-based Tomizaki’s Champions, who also presented a lively ..read more

(Jeff Heyman, Photographer) Revelers celebrate at last year’s Oscar Party at the Orinda Theatre. This year’s party will be held on March 10.     And the winner is…
     All Orinda cinephiles who love a good party.     Never fear if your invitation to the Vanity Fair party got lost in the mail. Walk the red carpet, have your photo taken at the step-and-repeat, sip champagne and nibble on savory treats while viewing the Academy Awards on the big screen at the Orinda Theatre.     Legendary film critic Jan Wahl and Orinda Theatre owner ..read more

(Charleen Earley, Photographer) In efforts to modernize telecommunications and due to a sparsely used and antiquated system, AT&T submitted an application with two proposals to end their obligation to provide landline services to California customers within their service areas.     AT&T submitted an application on March 3, 2023, with two proposals to withdraw its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier designation – to basically end its landline service to many California customers.     The reason … they’re antiquated and sparsely used.     A ..read more

(Jeff Heyman, Phlotographer) The Orinda News advertisers, past and present, listened to a brief "thank you" speech by Executive Editor Kathy Cordova, who recently completed her first year at the helm of the newspaper before a drawing was held for several great prizes.     The Orinda News held its inaugural Advertiser Appreciation Party at the iconic Orinda Theatre on Feb. 5. The theme was “We’re rolling out the red carpet for you.”     Guests walked the red carpet and enjoyed wine, beer and sumptuous appetizers. Advertisers won fantastic prizes including gift ca ..read more

(Courtesy of Linda Purl) Celebrities Linda Purl (Happy Days, Matlock and The Office) and Patrick Duffy (Step by Step and Dallas) bring real-life romance to the Orinda Theatre when they perform in A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters Feb. 10. Thanks to the pandemic, the two busy actors had time to get to know one another in their own Zoom version of Love Letters.     Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Orinda Theatre presents A.R. Gurney’s romantic play Love Letters, featuring real-life couple Linda Purl and Patrick Duffy.     “Love Letters is a show I’ve wanted to do fo ..read more

    Acknowledging an “intense amount of public interest” during the Dec. 12, 2023, Planning Commission meeting to discuss rezoning of four “opportunity sites,” Planning Director Drummond Buckley addressed the community’s concerns at the Jan. 9 city council 
meeting.     The planning department’s staff report reads, “Staff recommends the City Council receive the report, take public testimony, and provide feedback on next steps for implementation of the Downtown Precise Plan and Housing Element goals, policies and actions.”     There was strong pub ..read more

(Jeff Heyman, Photographer)     According to the San Francisco Chronicle on Jan. 1, “A BART train caught fire after it derailed near the Orinda station Monday morning, leading to the evacuation of all cars and a closure of two stations. The incident occurred when an eastbound train derailed just after 9 a.m. between the Orinda and Lafayette stations. Two cars reportedly caught fire ..read more

(Jeff Heyman, Photographer) Photographed in the iconic Orinda Library, Mayor Darlene Gee is looking forward to engaging with the community during her 2024 term.     New Mayor Darlene Gee isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. She was one of only six women out of 600 students in the engineering department at University of Illinois, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. She also served a term as mayor of Orinda in 2020 – the year COVID-19 emerged, necessitating lockdowns, budget cuts and drastically transforming the way meetings and city gatherings were c ..read more