Lafayette Crossing Guard Dies Saving Children From Oncoming Car Wednesday

A volunteer crossing guard pushed children out of the path of an approaching car in front of Stanley Middle School in Lafayette Wednesday – taking the impact of the collision himself. His family identified the crossing guard as 45-year-old Ashley Dias, a Lafayette resident and product of both Stanley Middle and Acalanes High School who…

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Mel’s Makes Way For Hotboys Chicken In Walnut Creek

North Main Walnut Creek mainstay Mel’s Original Diner has called it quits and renovations are underway for the area’s latest occupant – Oakland’s World Famous HotBoys Chicken, a Nashville-based spiced-up chicken operation with, it turns out, a Lafayette connection. Owner-operator-chef Victor Ghaben hopes to bring the Tennessee-style chicken — fried and lathered in a cayenne…

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East County Firefighter Injured In Oakley Water Tender Crash Tuesday

An East County Fire Protection District firefighter suffered a head injury in this rare rollover crash at O’Hara Avenue at W Cypress Road in the City of Oakley today A medical helicopter was requested after the crew found the crew member had sustained injury, however, he was ultimately transported by ground to a local hospital.…

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Shots Fired In Downtown Walnut Creek Sunday

A couple challenged for failing to pay their bill at a downtown restaurant Sunday were ejected and left but not before firing  three shots before speeding away, according to witnesses. Witnesses said two people, described as a heavy-set white female and heavy-set black male, had tried to leave the Modern China Cafe on N. Main…

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Marching Steadily Back To 1952 – As 9-11 Looms

Editor; As we remember the American lives lost to one brand of extremism in 2001 I write to express my concern as yet another example moves through our government and our courts. Although a brave Texas district judge has issued a temporary restraining order against Texas Right to Life the fact that an anti-abortion group…

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Woman Struck, Killed While Walking On Livermore Freeway Thursday

In the second incident of its kind this week a woman died after inexplicably walking onto westbound I580 in Livermore early Thursday morning. The latest incident follows another, similar fatality on southbound I680 in San Ramon early Monday morning in which a woman with ties to Concord and Danville was hit while crossing from the right…

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ScreenShots: “The Station Agent”

Longtime ScreenShotters will know what type of movies we’re drawn to, and the elements that make us sit up and say: “Yeah, this is going to be worth an hour or so of my time…” Sharp writing. Well drawn characters. Different than the usual fare available today. In essence, something without Marvel or a number…

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Fritzky Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison Despite Plea for “Mercy”

Justice caught up with Francis Robert “Bob” Fritzky in U.S. District Court on Friday. The former Moraga resident and treasurer of the Moraga Community Foundation found himself looking at 18 months in federal prison – not quite the sentence the people he bilked out of more than $300,000 in 2018 and ’19 had wished for…

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Fatal Crash In Orinda Tuesday

A 61-year-old Berkeley nurse was killed in a fiery crash at Bear Creek and Happy Valley roads Tuesday. Witnesses reported a 2007 Toyota Prius had gone off the road,  down an embankment and into a tree at that location at approximately 3:20 p.m. Both witnesses and rescuers reported that the car, which had lodged against…

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