Alex Gecan

1 week ago | berkeleyside.org | Alex Gecan

Update, June 18: The City Council voted for a second time late Tuesday night to adopt strict new rules prohibiting plants and other flammable items within 5 feet of homes in two Berkeley Hills neighborhoods, meaning the controversial ordinance will go into effect. The council also approved tweaks to the regulations that push back inspections until May 2026 and commit to forming a working group to further study vegetation rules.

2 weeks ago | berkeleyside.org | Alex Gecan

After a delay, Berkeley is likely to move ahead with strict new vegetation management rules for hundreds of homes in the hills, although it would give homeowners nearly a year before any inspections for compliance thanks to a series of new directives for city staff that were developed during the pause. Berkeley’s wide-reaching wildfire safety proposal is up for a second vote before the City Council on June 17.

2 weeks ago | middletownpress.com | Alex Gecan |Genevieve Reilly

FAIRFIELD — Christopher Andrews and one of his children were already outside their house, both holding weapons, when Officer Sean Fenton pulled up to their Mountain Laurel Road home before sunrise Tuesday. Fenton ordered them to drop their weapons. Police said that the elder Andrews refused and moved toward Fenton. Fenton shot him. Andrews died.

3 weeks ago | berkeleyside.org | Alex Gecan |Nico Savidge

Berkeley police and public works staff began removing tents and structures in the longstanding network of encampments around Eighth and Harrison streets Wednesday morning. Workers could be seen using heavy machinery to dismantle some of the larger makeshift shelters at the Northwest Berkeley camp. Police cordoned off roughly two blocks of Harrison Street and two blocks of Eighth Street during the operation. The city of Berkeley could not be reached immediately Wednesday morning.

3 weeks ago | berkeleyside.org | Alex Gecan

Police shut down sections of Gilman and Curtis streets in the Westbrae neighborhood Monday morning to investigate what they described as a “suspected bullet hole” in an apartment floor nearby. Someone first called police around 8:25 a.m., Berkeley police spokesperson Sgt. Kajahna Futch wrote in an email. “Officers attempted to make contact with the resident of the apartment believed to be the source of the suspected bullet hole, but were unable to get a response,” Futch said.