Garage Fire In Orinda Sunday
Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District firefighters responded to reports of a garage fire at 81 Hillcrest Drive Friday, arriving to find the garage fully engulfed and turning their attention to stopping the spread of flames to the residence itself. Three occupants were able to flee the home shortly after the fire was reported at 11:22 p.m.…
Swarm Raiders Steal Cigarettes, Cash From 7Eleven Stores In Lafayette, Pleasant Hill Friday
A carload of masked youths appear to be making the rounds of local convenience stores Friday, jumping counters at stores in Pleasant Hill and Lafayette and making off with cash and cigarettes. The group, believed to be about six black males wearing COVID-style masks and hoodies, first swarmed an employee at the 7Eleven store on…
Bank Trip Ends With Attempted Robbery In Moraga; Second Incident In Two Days
A routine trip to the bank ended in a moment of terror for a Moraga woman who returned home from the local Bank of America branch to find herself hemmed in by two men in a Mercedes, one of whom reached into her car in an attempt to take her purse, jewels and other items.…
ScreenShots: “The Man Who Wasn’t There”
As movie-lovers whose taste runs to the Coen, we’re not sure how we missed this one over the years, but we did. This black-and-white sonnet to film noir is lovingly crafted and executed, driven and narrated by a chain-smoking Billy Bob Thornton – second chair in a three-chair barber shop in Santa Rosa during the…
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas – For Thieves
Christmas is ramping up in the 24/680 and as fresh trees go up in our living rooms and shoppers scurry to and fro another segment of society emerges – apparently to rip off the to and fro people. Pleasant Hill PD managed to corral two of three women allegedly trying to make off with several…
“Take Me Off Your List!”
We’ll spare you the military references but there’s a popular series out depicting a small squad action against a larger, entrenched force where the attackers use surprise to their advantage. “Look,” the squad leader shouts over the crescendo of a firefight. “We must be doing something right, they’re firing on each other…” That resonated this…
Tree Eats Cars In Pleasant Hill
Residents in the 400 block of Roberta Avenue in Pleasant Hill thought they were hearing lightning when cracking noises outside their homes brought them outside on the run Saturday. A tree, estimated to be at 80 feet tall, came down and caused “significant” damage to at least two cars and other property. No one was…
Shooting In Pleasant Hill Friday
One man was hit and seriously wounded after gunfire broke out in the parking lot of a Contra Costa Boulevard strip mall Friday night. A second man was quickly arrested in connection with the shooting. The shooting was reported at 8:12 p.m. in the Ellinwood Center mall with a 36-year-old man found on the ground…
“Stay Frosty…”
Our military friends have all these worldly, uniquely applicable sayings they use on us “civilians” from time to time. One they are fond of is “Stay Frosty” – and while that may seem pertinent given today’s weather outlook, it carries a different meaning. To them, it means to stay keen – alert to what’s coming…
Hazardous Materials Release At Martinez Oil Refinery Contained Heavy Metals
A powdery substance released into the community by Martinez Refining Company (MRC) last week contained higher-than-normal amounts of heavy metals, tests of samples collected by Contra Costa Health (CCH) show. CCH does not believe there is an immediate health risk to the community. The most significant health risks were short-term respiratory impacts from breathing in…