The Sunday Mumble
Here we are, our Merry Band, in the grip of Summer and a cresting news cycle. Saturday was a day of new records following a week of new records here at NEWS24/680 with record reader visitation (we thought everyone was out of town), a record number of News Flashes going out to record numbers of…
Orinda Pup Recovered In Antioch, Returned To Owners After Three-Year-Long Absence
ED: First, a big doff of the Fedora to our digital colleagues in arms at EastCountyToday for giving us the heads up on this story. Second, what’s with all the doggies jumping into police cars lately? Here we go: Antioch Police announced on Facebook Saturday that Officer Amiri was performing a routine traffic stop around 1:00 am…
The Sunday Screed
Here we are, on the tail-end of a long weekend, and what have we learned? That hot dogs are best when grilled. That lemonade tastes better when purchased from a stand staffed by neighborhood kids with a few missing teeth and a dog named “BooBoo.” That it’s best to leave political discussions at home during…
Horsies Visit The Roundup – Clear The Joint; High Octane Hookup; And The Rocket’s Red Glare
We have to say, you folks sure know how to celebrate a Fourth of July! We came up with a short poem to commemorate a visit made to the divey but beloved Roundup Saloon by some local Cayuses at the height of the celebration, two of them making their way inside, sidling up to the…
Another Window Smash Auto Burglary Outside A Peet’s Monday – This Time In Orinda
A hardworking and highly mobile car burglar made off with a MacBook Pro and other items outside the Peet’s location in Orinda Monday. Witnesses said the thief, described as a black male driving a black BMW with blue paper plate inserts marked to Weatherford BMW struck a Mini Cooper convertible Monday morning, grabbing the computer…
Pup Commandeers Walnut Creek Police Car – Gives Officer A Tonguelashing
Walnut Creek police are trying to reunite a lovely and, apparently, highly affectionate pup with its rightful owner after the animal sought refuge in Officer Akers’ car in town yesterday and let him know in dog language that she was lost. No word if the department’s uniform policy covers excessive drooling but Officer Akers got…
Fertile Grounds: Local Car Burglars Preying On Coffee Shop Customers
Watching for trends as we do around here we can say we’ve noted a decided uptick in the number of car burglaries outside local coffee houses of late – in broad daylight and so quick even the few people who realize what is happening have little time to react. Lafayette Police Chief Ben Alldritt has…
Not Sewer Gas Or Truck Doors Banging Shut – Lafayette Police Say Pre-Dawn Blasts Are “Intentional Act”
Veteran readers know we have covered reports of sizable and apparently random early-morning explosions here and on our Facebook pages over the years. Although all sorts of theories were developed as to the source of the blasts over the intervening years – everything from gunfire to methane gas to the banging of delivery truck doors…
Would-Be Laptop Snatcher Fended Off By Lafayette Coffee Shop Customers Monday
An apparent attempt to snatch a laptop from a customer at a downtown Lafayette coffee house did not end as expected for the would-be thieves Monday. Eyewitnesses and outright participants in what some described as a “battle Royale” on the street outside The Coffee Shop gave the following account of events: “I was dining outside…
Crashes Pile Up On Local Roadways Wednesday; Major Injuries Believed Averted
A number of crashes up and down our namesake 24/680 Corridor kept emergency crews and tow trucks busy Wednesday, creating some memorable moments for involved drivers but no serious or lasting injury as far as we could determine. The pictured crash, reported just after 2 p.m. in the eastbound direction of Highway 24 in Central…