It walked right up to the fire engine, wheezing from the smoke, and the crew of Engine 29 cupped a tiny mask over the pigeon's beak. The 15-second clip of what happened next has more views than most Oakland stories get in a year — and the tiny mask has a backstory the video never mentions.

Oakland will stop entering private yards for wildfire vegetation inspections after reported attacks on crews; the city says it may use drones and AI as alternatives.

A tentative deal between UC Berkeley and the lecturers’ union will end the Fall Program for First Semester, moving about 600 students into majors and offering buyouts and rehiring rights for instructors.

Steph Curry was honored with the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his Oakland-focused Eat. Learn. Play foundation. The nonprofit says it has delivered millions of meals and rebuilt schoolyards across the district.

Street vendors told Oakland City Council that stepped‑up enforcement is squeezing livelihoods; the city says safety measures and a vendor clinic are part of its response.

PG&E plans targeted shutoffs Wednesday and Thursday across parts of Alameda, Contra Costa and Marin as hot, windy conditions raise wildfire risk.

A new Oak Grove Behavioral Health Campus in Concord adds rapid screening, outpatient care and the county’s first peer respite.

A Good Samaritan found 17 puppies in a Livermore Walmart lot; 16 survived and are now in East Bay SPCA care, with some expected to be ready for adoption soon.

After a bulk sugar shipment was rerouted from Crockett, union pickets converged on Levin Richmond Terminal and called for inspections and regulatory review.

A five‑county coalition backed by Contra Costa taxpayers has launched a campaign to stop the Connect Bay Area sales tax, warning of double‑digit local rates and demanding agency reforms.

The Bay Area Host Committee plans to formalize into a permanent sports leadership commission, launching a Leadership Council to lock in future mega‑events and funding.

Martinez will celebrate this Saturday with a downtown parade, a Martinez Sturgeon game, a Fun Fest at the waterfront and a fireworks finale at about 9:30 p.m. Expect limited marina parking and family activities.

Alameda’s 3.3-mile July 4 parade returns Saturday with Rep. Lateefah Simon as honorary grand marshal and tributes to the Alameda Fire Department’s 150 years. Expect a 5K, shuttles and major closures.