California’s population grew for the first time in three years as legal immigration rebounded and the great California exodus during the COVID pandemic dramatically slowed as remote workers returned to the office, according to a state report released Tuesday. The overall population gains were relatively small — a net increase of some 67,000 people to raise California’s population to 39.1 million people in 2023, according to the California Department of Finance. Some Bay Area counties lost population, including Alameda and San Mateo, as layoffs took hold last year and residents continued to see ..read more

OAKLAND — The Alameda County Board of Supervisors opened the door Wednesday for the recall bid targeting District Attorney Pamela Price to fall to the November ballot. To the chagrin of Price’s opponents, the Board of Supervisors opted to wait until May 14 to set a recall election date. By doing so, the board gave themselves the flexibility to either call a special election for sometime between Aug. 10 and Sept. 16, or to push it off until the Nov. 5 general election. The move raises the possibility of a recall question with little — if any — precedent in Alameda County appearing on a ballot p ..read more

We live in a ranking age with lists of “best” and “worst” and “in-between” touching every slice of life, industry and geography. Some of these scorecards are based on polling. Others are data-based, trying to decipher government or business stats. And some are simply opinions – individual or consensus. Yes, these rankings can be discussion starters – whether for policy debate or just plain fun. Before the chats get too intense, be aware that the creation of these grades is far more art than statistical science. I’m bemused at the wave of state-vs.-state rankings that flow into my inbox at work ..read more

HAYWARD — Three men have been arrested on suspicion of carrying out 11 armed robberies over seven months in the East Bay, authorities announced Friday. Related Articles April 26, 2024 Crime and Public Safety | Oakland ‘Rookie of the Year’ cop remembered for his humor, passion April 26, 2024 Crime and Public Safety | An East Bay arrest nearly six months ago leads to recovery of more than $325,000 in stolen retail products April 26, 2024 Crime and Public Safety | Modesto man killed in Oakland while arguing with people who harassed his girlfriend, police say April 26, 2024 Crime and Public Safet ..read more

U.S. health officials are closely monitoring the recent leap of avian flu from birds to cattle — and earlier this month, to a Texas dairy farmer. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stresses the current public health risk is low — the virus isn’t known to spread among people or through the food supply, is rarely caught from exposure to infected animals, and where human infections have occurred, is often mild and manageable. But the leap of the H5N1 influenza strain, widespread among wild fowl and a regular threat to domestic poultry, into cattle was unexpected, and a worrisome devel ..read more

In California, rattlesnakes bite about 800 people in a typical year; approximately two are fatal in a year. The threat usually begins in April and will decrease by September. Rattlesnakes are not confined to rural areas. They have been found near urban areas, rivers, lakes and golf courses. Rattlesnakes do not always rattle before striking defensively. Related Articles Environment | Bird flu’s disturbing new turn into cattle — are California herds safe? Environment | Northern California dog owners warned by state wildlife officials to keep their canines away from raw fish Environment | Giv ..read more

Looking to buy a home in Alameda County? Now is your last chance to apply for an interest-free loan from a local program that helps first-time homebuyers afford a down payment. AC Boost, a $50 million county effort launched in 2019, is accepting applications through May 15 for its final round of funding. To qualify, applicants must be first-time homebuyers who live or work in Alameda County or have been displaced from a home there in the last 10 years. Eligible buyers can borrow up to $210,000, depending on their income. Applicants can earn no more than 120% of the area’s median income. That’s ..read more

On the first weekend of May, Livermore Valley will host its second annual CabFranc-a-Palooza, a three-day wine extravaganza with blind sensory tastings, a Francs ‘n’ Franks event (featuring bespoke sausages by the Livermore Butcher Shop) and a grand tasting featuring the cabernet franc offerings of more than 50 wineries around the world. Spearheading the celebration is Steven Kent Mirassou, who along with Momentous Hospitality, the hospitality company he co-founded with his wife and two friends, is on a mission to make Livermore Valley a global cab franc destination. “We believe that cab franc ..read more

OAKLAND — In a ruling that calls into question numerous Alameda County death penalty convictions, a federal judge on Monday found “strong evidence” that prosecutors here made a conscious effort to keep people off of juries based on their race and religion. The order by U.S. District Judge Vincent Chhabria suggests evidence that systemic racism and antisemitism was hiding in plain sight, within prosecution notes in the case file for a man named Ernest Dykes who was sentenced to death after a 1995 jury trial. It was only brought to Chhabria’s attention in 2023, by a county pr ..read more

LIVERMORE — A motorcyclist died Thursday morning after what the California Highway Patrol said was a three-vehicle crash on a freeway. Related Articles Crashes and Disasters | Authorities identify two who died in separate East Bay car wrecks Crashes and Disasters | 4 killed in crash identified as Livermore couple, 2 children Crashes and Disasters | Two-car crash results in fatality on Highway 4 Crashes and Disasters | Repeat drunk driver gets 15 to life for killing pregnant woman in California crash; baby survived Crashes and Disasters | One dead, two injured following accident In East B ..read more