Chemical Agent Deployed Outside Lafayette Trader Joe’s Saturday

Police and ambulances respond to Trader Joe's parking lot after a chemical agent was deployed, sickening several people.

Odd incident outside the Lafayette Trader Joe’s store this morning with police and fire responding to reports of multiple people doused with bear spray, perhaps from a passing car. The initial victim count of 7 to 12 people sickened was eventually downgraded after the arrival of first responders but at least two folks still went…

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E-Bike Wolfpack Rides Through Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill

Editor; I don’t know who this says more about — the kids or their parents. We ventured out into downtown Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek recently and encountered a large group of kids on e-bikes on both occasions. These kids (about 7 in one group and 5 in the other) proceeded to swarm us and…

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Walnut Creek: Think Local. Drink Local with Brendan Moran – July 25

Join Walnut Creek City Council candidate Brendan Moran for Think Local. Drink Local., a casual community conversation at Calicraft Brewing Company in Shadelands on Saturday, July 25, from 5:00 to 6:30 PM. Residents are invited to share ideas, add a note to the suggestion box, and talk about what Walnut Creek should protect, improve, or…

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A Floral Legacy: David J. C. Austin, 1958-2026

David J. C. Austin Chairman, David Austin Roses David J. C. Austin died at his Shropshire home, surrounded by his family, following a short struggle with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare and incurable neurological condition. Austin died July 20, 2026, at the age of 67. David joined the venerable family business in Albrighton, Shropshire, in…

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“Little” Fire In Sunol Off And Running Tuesday

Another grass fire burning, this time in Sunol, currently at several hundred acres and prompting requests for help from neighboring jurisdictions. Evacuation warnings have been issued. The Fire was first reported in the 3300 block of Little Valley Road – the location giving the fire its name. The fire is believed to have pushed past…

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Blue Monday On The Iron Horse; WCPD Arrests Alleged Trail Assailant

Reports of a man assaulting Iron Horse Regional Trail users near Ygnacio Valley Road brought squads of police on the run and ended with the deployment of non-lethal munitions and the arrest of a man in his 20s witnesses accused of attacking them with rocks Monday. Witnesses began calling police for assistance from the trail…

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Twisty Pursuit Up And Down I-680 Sunday

Readers advised us of a pursuit up and down I-680 on Sunday, the CHP behind a white Mercedes and a driver they wanted to talk with about some traffic infractions, we think. Pursued and pursuers made an abrupt turn off the freeway onto Diablo Road in Danville and we believe the pursuit was terminated.

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Public Clock Du Jour…

What's the story behind this Contra Costa timepiece?

Continuing our tour of local timepieces photo dude “GoGo” Gomez came across this stylishly architectural timekeeper – and discovered that it has a history. We’re into clocks, and architecture, and local history so if you can flesh out the back story on this public fixture – show us what you can do!

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