A Gorgeous New Morning In The 24/680
Morning is Breaking… and, it appears, things are subdued as the locals digest some national news that flashed across our wires Saturday and pulsed almost with a life of its own. As contrary as it was to our instincts we opted – after a hurried conversation with staff – not to report on the incident,…
Continued Pyro Use Leading To More Aggro For Fire-Weary Locals
Independence Day has passed but people are still shooting red-hot missiles into tinder-dry fields, apparently. This time in San Ramon. Flash Reader photos from a fire on Promontory Circle in the wee hours of Wednesday morning. If you’re thinking of touching off some pyrotechnics near a field or homes in your neighborhood, you may want…
After The Fireworks Finales – It’s Back To The Races Again
All in all an exciting Fourth of July with all sorts of activities popping off – some planned, some not. No sooner had the Fireworks Finales come to an end when the first July 5th pursuit kicked off, running along our namesake freeways and back again, photographer Sean McDonough capturing the moment the wanted vehicle…
Tales From Our Cities
Tip of the fedora to our fellow Urban Roamer Armistead Maupin and the characters he gave us from our former designated playground as we extend tradition and haunt the East Bay’s greasier alleyways and watering holes in search of stories. We’ve been busy dodging careering getaway cars, aerial mortars and flaming garbage trucks lately –…
The X-Files – BAAA-RT Goat; Canada Hates Us, Too; And Teenage Coochie Coochie Coo
All in all, a pleasant if somewhat strained week in the 24/680 with life playing out as expected for the most part – with a few exceptions: “O Canada, What’d We Do To You?” Our line of work has left us largely inured to casual expression of dissatisfaction or worse by people who don’t like…
Fire Cleanses Everything, Right?
Well, not really, as the debris pile left behind after a recent multi-alarm fire in Concord will attest. Fire brought down much of the multi-level structure at Sunset and East streets in Concord on April 29, firefighters quickly calling for a 2nd Alarm to help combat the flames. The building was reported ablaze at 10:23…
Market Sunday In Walnut Creek
After a day of initial shock and a week of enduring trauma as two respected members of the local Farmers Market community were treated for major injuries suffered in a hit-and run crash at the very same location last week – people returned to the Walnut Creek Farmers Market. The popular venue was back up…
Full Turtle In Walnut Creek Sunday
Crash reported at Tice Valley Boulevard and Rolling Hills Drive this morning really lit up our Flash Alert system. Our thanks to everyone who sent in pictures and loving morning messages until lensman Sean McDonough rolled up onscene. People fist-bumping Sean and referring to the crash as a “Turtle” and we’re beginning to think we’re…
Faces, Facts Emerge As Swatting, Organized Burglary Rings Cracked
We report them as they happen: a disembodied voice on the phone telling school officials gunmen are on the way to shoot students or plant explosives; a group of stealthy burglars in black who rush wealthy homeowners, disable their security systems and loot the home of items few people knew were there. Our stories cover…
“Ma’am, What’s The Midget Wearing?” – The X Files
Back in the day of battling dailies and copy boys and clickety-clacking wire machines the bleary-eyed Über Cognescenti of our Night Copy Desk kept an electronic archive of oddities and story scraps we reporter-types had delivered to them over the course of the day. The collection was known informally as “the Bondage File,” and was…