Sierra Lopez

Progress on housing at Berkeley’s People’s Park elicits mixed feelings Coming to terms with the rapid changes at People’s Park has been challenging for those who tirelessly fought for the park to remain undeveloped.

A lot has changed at Berkeley's Peoples Park over the last year.

The bones of what will eventually be home for more than 1,100 students now stand where the storied hub for activism once was, a hard new reality for those who fought to save the park.

My latest:
www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/10/16/u...

How Oakland’s tight mayoral race may reach the finish line The special election has politically divided the city, including on clear geographic lines.

How Oakland’s tight mayoral race may reach the finish line -->

Everything we know about the Loren Taylor-Barbara Lee showdown on Wednesday:

www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/04/16/h...

Evan Low fined $106,000 for campaign finance violations including “intent to conceal” payment to Alec Baldwin California’s political watchdog organization is slapping former Assemblymember Evan Low with a $106,000 fine for 23 counts of violating state campaign finance laws — allegations that in…

Ex-Assemblymember Evan Low is being fined $106,000 for violating state campaign finance laws. The FPPC says Low used his tech nonprofit to pay Alec Baldwin ~$227,000 to appear at an event for the group & a fundraiser for Low, which he tried to conceal.
www.mercurynews.com/2025/03/31/e...

End of NorCal horse racing forces ‘back side’ families out of tack room shelters, RVs and Pleasanton schools ‘Back side’ workers, who groom, exercise and care for the horses, must choose between separating from their families to follow their jobs to other tracks or leave their jobs altogether …

I'm a photographer, but sometimes I have a shared byline, like on this story where horseracing workers, mostly Latinos, are losing their jobs, and some will be unhoused and/or families torn apart. Check it out.

Man charged with shooting up house of potential Oakland corruption probe witness, but why remains unclear The 25-year-old suspect reportedly confessed to police, but the investigation remains shrouded in secrecy.

Man charged with shooting up home of potential FBI informant in sprawling East Bay corruption probe: www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/03/17/m...

Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, who led pandemic response, to retire after 26 years Five years after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, Dr. Sara Cody — the Santa Clara County public health officer who led the Bay Area’s regi…

Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody, who led the local COVID-19 pandemic response, is retiring after 26 years. Her last day will be April 11.

www.mercurynews.com/2025/03/11/s...

Despite media hype, experts unfazed by elevated radiation at Albany Bulb Nuclear engineer says claims that any exposure can kill someone are ‘misleading’ and ‘irresponsible.’

Elevated levels of radiation were found at the Albany Bulb, a frequently visited park built on a former dump just north of Berkeley.

Experts say the public has little to worry about with one calling media hype "misleading."

www.mercurynews.com/2024/12/18/a...

Oakland corruption probe: Duong family supported Sheng Thao to rake in taxpayer funds, prosecutors say The explosive new court filing accuses the Duong family — under FBI investigation for months — of supporting outgoing Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao to “preserve and enhance” acce…

NEW:

Oakland corruption probe: Duong family supported Sheng Thao to rake in taxpayer funds, prosecutors say

Bombshell motion says mayor’s partner got $7,500 after pro-Thao mailers
www.mercurynews.com/2024/12/09/o...

I'm easily charmed, but bluesky automatically debugging the updated thumbnail image in this story -- something the other app no longer even allows to do manually -- is winning me over

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