A new Emerson poll puts Xavier Becerra on top as Steve Hilton tightens the GOP lane and Tom Steyer trails closely. With ballots mailed and early voting starting May 23, undecided voters could decide who advances.

Students and parents say limited bathroom passes, locked restrooms and spotty period supplies have turned basic needs into a school-day problem at several Oakland high schools.

California funded a UC Berkeley database of police misconduct files — but the public portal appears to lack cases from the past two years, raising fresh transparency concerns.

A Great Good Place for Books in Montclair Village will close this summer. Owner Kathleen Caldwell cites slow post‑pandemic foot traffic and health struggles as she prepares to retire.

Contra Costa says official ballots for the June 2 primary have been mailed. Oakley voters have City Hall drop‑off and early‑voting hours at the recreation center.

The Maya Motel in Temescal sold on May 11, 2026 and will be converted into roughly 23 supportive studio apartments under California’s Homekey+ program. City and developer documents outline tenant relocation help and on-site services.

Councilmember Charlene Wang is floating a November ballot measure that would surcharge certain real‑estate transactions to pay for interim shelter and transitional housing. The plan follows city and county funding moves as Oakland seeks more beds.

A 54‑year‑old Oakley man arrested in January died after an apparent suicide attempt at Martinez Detention Facility. The sheriff’s office and county DA have opened a joint investigation.

A former Sierra Club Foundation director sued in Alameda County, alleging Black leaders were pushed out amid high‑profile exits that include Ben Jealous’s 2025 firing.

Redfin’s chief economist says the Bay Area looks more like a cooling market than a replay of 2008 — owners’ equity and tax rules are keeping forced sales rare.

The NSF has suspended multiple UC Berkeley awards — including funding for a mixed‑reality Ohlone exhibit at the Lawrence Hall of Science — days before a mid‑May launch, renewing legal and budget fights on campus.

Oakland's typical home value slipped to roughly $716,000 in March, leaving many sellers well below the 2022 peak and splitting neighborhoods between bidding wars and price cuts.

A 51-year-old woman was ejected and killed in a single-vehicle crash at G Street and Drake Street in Antioch; police say speed and possible impairment may be factors.