Chase Hunter
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Chasing the truth. “The most deranged reporter” Senior reporter @sonomanews & contributor @NorthBayNews. Past: @Cronkite_ASU, @news21, @azcentral
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Articles by Chase Hunter
Pause put on Bay Area gas-powered water heater ban Original
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District pushed its ban on new gas-powered home water heaters to 2028 on Wednesday, while also expanding exemptions for low-income families to address affordability concerns.
Bay Area ban on new gas-powered water heaters won’ start until 2028.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has pushed its ban on new gas-powered home water heaters to 2028, while also expanding exemptions for low-income families to address affordability concerns. With all but one vote in favor, the board on Wednesday, Nov.
2026 Election results: Berkely ballot measures on bonds, sales tax, rent ordinance and a public bank Original
Berkeley ballot initiatives Measures U, V, and X received the needed support in early election returns Tuesday night, while results for Measure Z showed it could fall short of passing.
2026 Election results: Berkeley City Council Districts 1, 4, 7, and 8 Original
In preliminary results released by Alameda County shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, Berkeley council candidates Laura Babitt, Igor Tregub, Syrak Micael and Mark Humbert were leading their respective races in Districts 1, 4, 7, and 8.
Man hospitalized after being tased by ICE agents outside Elmwood Jail in Milpitas
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... A man was taken to a hospital after being tased by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shortly after he was released from Elmwood Jail in Milpitas on Wednesday night, according to community advocates. The incident occurred between 10 and 11 p.m., said Rebeca Armendariz, a member of the Rapid Response Network. As of Thursday, the network believed the man remained hospitalized, but his condition and custody status were unclear.
California town’s residents, forced from their homes more than 50 years ago, are finally getting paid
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The former residents of a San Francisco Bay Area town will be issued payments up to $25,000 per household for their forced displacement by local governments there in the 1960s. The compensation was approved by the current Alameda County Board of Supervisors, which voted last week to authorize payments from the Russell City Redress Fund.
Displaced over 50 years ago, residents of this historic Bay Area town are finally getting paid
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Former Russell City residents will be issued payments up to $25,000 per household for their forced displacement by Alameda County and the city of Hayward in the 1960s after the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to authorize payments from the Russell City Redress Fund. By authorizing payments, former Russell City residents will receive compensation for not only losing their homes but also their community.
Alameda County authorizes payments to former Russell City residents Original
Former Russell City residents will be issued payments up to $25,000 per household for their forced displacement by Alameda County and the city of Hayward in the 1960s after the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to authorize payments from the Russell City Redress Fund. By authorizing payments, former Russell City residents will receive compensation for not only losing their homes but also their community.
California's Alameda County authorizes payments to former Russell City residents for being displaced in the 1960s
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Former Russell City residents will be issued payments up to $25,000 per household for their forced displacement by Alameda County and the city of Hayward in the 1960s after the Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to authorize payments from the Russell City Redress Fund. By authorizing payments, former Russell City residents will receive compensation for not only losing their homes but also their community.
Flock Drones Get Green Light in Alameda County
(TNS) — The latest investment in surveillance technology in Alameda County was approved Tuesday, despite privacy concerns with the company involved, Flock Safety, which has come under fire throughout the Bay Area for its automated license plate reader camera system.
Alameda County supervisors approve 10-year Flock Safety drone contract Original
The latest investment in surveillance technology in Alameda County was approved Tuesday, despite privacy concerns with the company involved, Flock Safety, which has come under fire throughout the Bay Area for its automated license plate reader camera system.
‘Put the heart back in the Heart of the Bay.’ Hayward puts pause on new data centers Original
Hayward joined a growing list of Bay Area cities to put a pause on new data centers amid public backlash over their potential negative impact on utility rates, the environment and future employment. The City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night on a 45-day moratorium using an urgency ordinance so that staff has time to develop a regulatory framework that, if needed, would include “stricter regulations or a ban on data centers,” according to a city staff report.
‘It was pandemonium’: How the 1991 Tunnel Fire showed the devastating potential of urban wildfires Original
Former East Bay fire ranger Scott Hill wasn’t scheduled to work on Oct. 20, 1991, but when he stepped outside his home in Lafayette that morning and felt the hot, dry Diablo winds from the East, he thought, “Boy, I hope we don’t have a fire today.” The Tunnel Fire that erupted later that morning became a landmark event for California firefighting efforts along the edge of residential communities and open space.
Hayward to consider temporary ban on data centers
The Hayward City Council will review a proposed temporary ban on data center developments at its next meeting Tuesday. If approved, it would make the city the latest Bay Area municipality to take action against the controversial facilities amid a growing national backlash. Should the council approve a moratorium, new data center development would be paused to offer additional time for city staff to review resource usage by data centers and their impact on residents.
Hayward to consider temporary ban on data centers
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The Hayward City Council will review a proposed temporary ban on data center developments at its next meeting Tuesday. If approved, it would make the city the latest Bay Area municipality to take action against the controversial facilities amid a growing national backlash.
Hayward to consider temporary ban on data centers
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... The Hayward City Council will review a proposed temporary ban on data center developments at its next meeting Tuesday. If approved, it would make the city the latest Bay Area municipality to take action against the controversial facilities amid a growing national backlash.
A new look for the San Lorenzo Theater Original
Under the newly-installed LED neon lights of the historic San Lorenzo Theater marquee, hundreds gathered Thursday to celebrate a $17.8 million investment by Alameda County to help renovate its exterior. The celebration came as the historic Art Moderne-style theater prepares for a grand reopening next year after a two-year restoration effort following two fires in 2020 that required emergency debris removal, building stabilization and seismic upgrades.
AC Transit plans cuts to services, operating hours if Regional Transit Measure fails
Should voters reject the Regional Transit Measure on the November ballot, AC Transit could cut as much as 16% of its services next year, including the elimination of Transbay routes and curtailed riding schedules, according to a contingency plan presented to the public on Wednesday.
AC Transit plans cuts to services, operating hours if Regional Transit Measure fails
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Should voters reject the Regional Transit Measure on the November ballot, AC Transit could cut as much as 16% of its services next year, including the elimination of Transbay routes and curtailed riding schedules, according to a contingency plan presented to the public on Wednesday.
Election 2026: Berkeley voters to decide on four ballot measures Original
Berkeley voters must decide on four November ballot measures as the city grapples with a $30 million budget deficit and mounting infrastructure needs. With issues ranging from sales taxes, infrastructure bonds, tenant protection and the creation of one of the region’s first city-backed public banks, voters will have a chance to have more of a say in the future of Berkeley.
Oakland’s aging storm drains need $3.6 billion in repairs. A powerful El Niño could test them. Original
OAKLAND — Oakland has a multi-billion dollar problem buried underneath its streets. Much of the city’s dilapidated stormwater drainage system requires equipment upgrades or replacement across miles of 85-year-old pipes, pumps and equipment, according to a Sept. 10 city report. If left unfixed, the city’s poorest neighborhoods in West Oakland and East Oakland face heightened risks of flooding, sinkholes and landslides.
Oakland puts temporary pause on new data centers Original
Following major purchases in recent months by tech billionaires, Oakland is putting a pause on data center development in the city. The Oakland City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a 45-day moratorium on building the controversial facilities, giving leaders more time to create a regulatory framework for appropriate uses that protect workers, the power grid and environmental resources.
Coal company fails in $1 billion lawsuit against Oakland as new bill further complicates terminal plans Original
Dual efforts to establish the largest coal terminal on the West Coast in Oakland suffered major setbacks recently, undermining the Trump administration’s desire to revitalize America’s declining coal industry. A $1 billion lawsuit against the city of Oakland by coal company Insight Terminal Solutions was dismissed on Sept. 30 by a Kentucky judge for lacking jurisdiction. Later that day, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill requiring full environmental review for all new coal facilities.
Huge new park? Public beach? Housing? Soccer fields? What comes next at Golden Gate Fields now that the historic East Bay horse track is closed Original
Six months ago, in a historic land conservation deal, a San Francisco environmental group signed an agreement to purchase Golden Gate Fields, the site of a famous horse racing track from 1941 to 2024 along the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay, and preserve it as a landmark new waterfront park.
Albany weighs future of Golden Gate Fields amid budget concerns Original
While the transition would make the effort one of the largest open space projects in the state, turning the former horse racing track into a park along the bay will come at a cost to the city, school district and municipal services via tax revenue. “The biggest challenge ahead for Golden Gate Fields is if the property becomes tax exempt, the city stands to lose roughly $1.3 million a year at the same time our costs continue to rise,” Councilmember Jon Destin said.
Election 2026: Berkeley City Council races focus on public safety, development Original
With four of Berkeley’s nine City Council seats on the ballot this November, voters will have a chance to influence the city’s approach toward public safety and revitalizing commercial corridors amid a $30 million budget deficit. In the progressive bastion of Berkeley, the divide on these issues is more often nuanced rather than ideological. Deciding who is on the council will be crucial to decisions on surveillance technology and the support of historic businesses.
One dead in shooting at Dublin Sports Grounds, police say Original
A man was fatally shot at the Dublin Sports Green Saturday afternoon and police have arrested several suspects, according to Dublin Police Department press release. Dublin police responded to a reported shooting at 3:08 p.m. and found a man with multiple gunshot wounds. The man was declared dead at the scene and has not been identified by police. Police arrested a number of suspects and there is no further danger to the community. The name of the suspects was not initially released by Dublin police.
Dublin’s first homicide of the year: Man fatally shot at park by his elderly in-laws, police say
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... DUBLIN — A man was fatally wounded in an apparent targeted shooting at the Dublin Sports Grounds on Saturday afternoon and police arrested two suspects, authorities said. The police found Jonathan McKinsey, 40, of Dublin, in a parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a Dublin police media statement released Sunday. The police detained the suspects “within minutes,” the statement adds.
Election 2026: Bay Bridge rush-hour delays could more than double if transit tax measures fail, study projects
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Rush-hour traffic delays on the Bay Bridge could more than double if voters reject two transit tax measures this November and agencies implement planned service cuts, according to a study co-produced by SPUR, a nonprofit policy group that sponsored the regional measure.
Bay Bridge rush-hour delays could more than double if transit tax measures fail, study projects Original
Rush-hour traffic delays on the Bay Bridge could more than double if voters reject two transit tax measures this November and agencies implement planned service cuts, according to a study co-produced by SPUR, a nonprofit policy group that sponsored the regional measure.
NEWS-SCI-DARK-MATTER-FILEPIC-MCT.jpg) Chase Hunter The Mercury News
A mile beneath the surface at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, a single unknown particle separated from light, air and cosmic rays collided with the nucleus of a xenon atom, causing electrons to be knocked free in a flash of light — and confounding scientists.
Alameda County places $30 minimum wage question on the 2028 ballot Original
Those wanting a $30 minimum wage in Alameda County will have to keep waiting. After months of debate and a county study examining the effects such an increase would have on unincorporated areas and county-owned properties, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday with a 4-0 vote placed the voter-led measure on the March 2028 ballot. If passed, it would be the highest minimum wage in the country.
Has dark matter been found? Scientists analyze signal deep underground
A mile beneath the surface at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, a single unknown particle separated from light, air and cosmic rays collided with the nucleus of a xenon atom, causing electrons to be knocked free in a flash of light - and confounding scientists.
Has dark matter been found? Bay Area scientists analyze signal deep underground
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Has dark matter been found? Scientists analyze signal deep underground
A mile beneath the surface at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in South Dakota, a single unknown particle separated from light, air and cosmic rays collided with the nucleus of a xenon atom, causing electrons to be knocked free in a flash of light — and confounding scientists.
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