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AROUND TOWN

PADC seeks student submissions for 2026 MLK Art and Writing Showcase
The theme of this year’s event is "Where Do We Go from Here?
Holiday rain totals outpace previous year
The East Bay saw more than 4 inches on average last week.
Costs of tolls, public transit set to rise for Bay Area commuters beginning in January
It will now cost $8.50 to cross most Bay Area bridges.
Stages to Aging class helps adults navigate life’s later transitions
Participants will explore the five stages of aging -- from self-sufficiency and interdependence to dependency, crisis management, and end-of-life planning.
Thank you to our sponsors and advertisers
The Piedmont Exedra would like to recognize the companies who have chosen to promote their goods and services on our site in the past year.
Local garden club hosts ‘Living With Wildfire’ community meeting on Jan. 21
Noted photojournalist and dry garden expert Saxon Holt and Fire Chief Dave Brannigan discuss fire-wise landscaping and share tips for safer, more resilient outdoor spaces.
‘Her legacy lives on’: Betty Reid Soskin, once the nation’s oldest park ranger, dies at 104
Soskin was a Bay Area icon and a voice of the Black American experience during WWII.
For Georgia Sprague, path to event planning business began at Beach
Daughter of a longtime Beach Elementary School teacher loved helping her mom set up the classroom every year.
Local with Lisa | Magnolia Music School on Grand Avenue
[SPONSORED VIDEO] Meet Kat White, the founder of this remarkable organization created with intention, creativity and care.
The Dish | Dark Chocolate Espresso Pot de Crème
This smooth, decadent classic, rich with espresso and dark chocolate, is perfect for the holiday season.
5 things I love on College Ave. this holiday season
Piedmonter and small business owner of Market, Jen Rego shares tips for local holiday shopping in the community she loves.

CITY NEWS

City shares video of 10 milestones from 2025
Staff highlight new community services, safety and infrastructure updates, and more.
BART construction to slow evening service between Millbrae, SFO through 2026
If you use BART to get to and from the airport, check timetables for delays.
Police Department lobby re-opens Dec. 22
The re-opening follows the completion of the city's new 911 dispatch center project.
The Blotter | Tools stolen from vehicle on Farragut
Three suspects reportedly took part
Piedmont’s new fire code is a start. Now it’s time to act.
Piedmont Fire Chief Dave Brannigan calls on residents to harden their homes against wildfire
Survey: Help inform swim lesson options at the new community pool
Your input needed as aquatics staff prepare for future operations and aquatics programming.
Faster, cheaper homes: Alameda County taps Oakland firm to advance SHIFT housing pilot
The company, with its “strong design approach,” has a track record of housing development on small, irregular, or undervalued parcels.
Share what you love about Piedmont’s parks and inform a long-term stewardship plan
Community members are invited to share priorities in an online survey.
Letter to the Editor | Ending Piedmont Play School lease is a breach of community trust
PPS designer Mark Becker and wife Tami urge the city to reconsider their decision.
New Planning & Building permit fees take effect Jan. 1
With some exceptions, permit fees will increase to better reflect actual staff time spent on that type of permit, the city says.
‘Above and beyond’ | City Council affirms its commitment to wildfire mitigation measures at Monday meeting
City updates fire codes for new construction and major renovations.

SCHOOLS

Finding meaning in the stars: Piedmont Adult School offers astrology workshop
"Your Stars, Your Story" is a two-hour workshop that explores astrology as a tool for self-reflection, insight, and personal storytelling.
Letter to the Editor | Kindergarten class inspires with 100% Giving Campaign participation
Co-chair Catie Osborn gives a shout-out to families in Ms. Mayer's K class at Havens.
Survey shows overwhelming support for renewal of school parcel tax
School Board to vote on a resolution in January to renew Measure G and put it on the June ballot.
Piedmont Adult School offers Salsa dance classes this spring
Classes for beginner and intermediate dancers will be taught by Carmela Zavaleta, an experienced Bay Area dance instructor.
Learn about Modern Art at Piedmont Adult School
Dive into Impressionism, Post-Impressionism, Expressionism, Dada, Surrealism, and more -- with artist and professor Robert Simons.

CALIFORNIA

Can Newsom deliver on unmet promises in his final year as governor?
Under Governor Gavin Newsom’s tenure, health care has been expanded, but his housing goals and homelessness pledges remain unfinished.
Will this be the year California makes kindergarten mandatory?
California is one of 32 states that doesn’t require 5-year-olds to attend school.
Could this mysterious California news site influence the 2026 election?
When is a news source not what it seems?
California tax revenue getting a boost from AI boom — but for how long?
As talk of a possible AI bubble grows, so does uncertainty around an important source of California tax money.
Newsom’s final year in office begins with an $18 billion deficit. How will he address it?
As Gov. Gavin Newsom prepares to release his spending plan this Friday, a projected $18 billion deficit awaits, which could spell trouble for his legacy.
List of school districts with stalled teacher contract negotiations grows in state
Three large Bay Area districts remain among the group.
New California fee targets batteries in PlayStations, power tools and singing cards
Consumers will have to pay a 1.5% fee on all products with an embedded battery as the result of a new law aiming to curb risk of battery fires.
Year in review: Big changes to California housing policy
Democratic lawmakers finally got serious about building.
Year in review: Homelessness policy gets more punitive
State and local governments became more aggressive in sweeping homeless encampments in 2025, among other measures.
Judge halts courthouse immigration arrests by ICE in Bay Area, citing ‘irreparable harms’
The ICE arrests outside courthouses represented a departure from the decades-long bipartisan agreement that courthouses were sensitive locations.
Federal judge rules California teachers are allowed to ‘out’ trans students to parents
The class action suit hinges on whether TK-12 educators can breach a student’s confidentiality and tell parents that students are using a name or pronoun other than what they have been assigned at birth.
Months-long probe leads to 6 arrests tied to ‘prolific’ Safeway theft crew in SF, Oakland
The group often targeted alcohol from Safeway stores, according to SF police.
Costs of tolls, public transit set to rise for Bay Area commuters beginning in January
It will now cost $8.50 to cross most Bay Area bridges.
Caltrans to revise Highway 101 HOV hours after commuter backlash in Marin, Sonoma
Expanded HOV hours introduced in September led to longer commute times, officials said.
California’s minimum wage is increasing in 2026 as Los Angeles debates $30 an hour
Californians will see the minimum wage increase to $16.90 per hour starting Jan.
Oakland to enforce Sunday parking meters in move that could generate extra $1.6M a year
Sunday metering is a benefit to retail shops because it encourages parking turnover and customer traffic.