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San Jose voters to weigh in on minimum wage measure on Nov. ballot

The San Jose City Council unanimously voted Tuesday night to place a measure on the November ballot that, if passed, would increase the city's hourly minimum wage by 25 percent. In March, proponents of the initiative to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour, up from the current $8 ...

Alameda County fire chief leaving department at end of July

Alameda County's fire chief is leaving the department at the end of July, fire officials announced Wednesday. Sheldon Gilbert, who has been an emergency responder in Alameda County for a total of 29 years, was planning on leaving effective July 31 "to pursue other career objectives and interests," the fire ...

Gold Dust Lounge hoping to move to SF Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco's Gold Dust Lounge, the Union Square drinking establishment that was evicted from its longtime Powell Street home, was expected to close Wednesday night. But not forever, according to Lee Houskeeper, a publicist for the bar. The bar's owners, James and Tasios Bovis, were planning to recreate the Gold ...

SF Supervisor consults Ouija board before vote

A San Francisco supervisor says he consulted a Ouija board before city leaders voted on whether to recommend naming a Navy ship after slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Supervisor John Avalos tells the San Francisco Chronicle that he believes he made contact with Milk's spirit and that Milk spelled ...

Obama makes campaign fundraising swing through Bay Area

President Barack Obama was scheduled to arrived in the Bay Area Wednesday afternoon for 16 hours of fundraising activities in the Silicon Valley. The President was expected to attend three Bay Area fundraisers during his visit. One will in toney Atherton and a second in downtown Redwood City on Wednesday ...

SF supes approve new regulations for tour buses

Tour buses traveling around San Francisco faced new regulations that were given unanimous initial approval Tuesday by the city's Board of Supervisors. The legislation, sponsored by board president David Chiu, was meant to address problems caused by the large buses that travel to various tourist destinations around the city. "Despite ...

Meeting to discuss ban on 'dangerous objects' at protests disrupted

New efforts to try to control violence during demonstrations in Oakland met fierce resistance Tuesday night as activists were removed from a meeting to discuss the banning of certain items at protests that could be used as weapons. The Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee was considering a new law ...

Brown seeks business support for tax-hike proposal

Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday pitched his proposal to raise the state sales and income taxes to an audience that traditionally opposes tax increases — members of the California Chamber of Commerce. The Democratic governor wants voters to approve the temporary tax increases in November as part of what he ...

Charges against Occupy Oakland protesters dropped

Alameda County prosecutors have dropped robbery and hate crime charges against three Occupy Oakland protesters. Thirty-three-year-old Michael Davis, 23-year-old Nneka Crawford and 25-year-old Randolph Wilkins were facing trial on the charges before they were dropped on Monday. The three were accused of involvement in a confrontation with 42-year-old Kelly Stowers ...

Feds probe of Oakland school district police force

Oakland Unified School District's police force is being investigated by a federal grand jury after two highly publicized incidents. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that district officials say the FBI is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting and alleged racist remarks by the force's former chief. District spokesman Troy Flint said ...

Richmond puts soda tax on November ballot

Voters in Richmond are set to decide whether to make the San Francisco Bay area city the nation's first municipality to tax soda and other sugary beverages to help fight childhood obesity. The Richmond City Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday to place the soda tax measure on the Nov. 6 ...

Rally highlights need for local HIV/AIDS funding in wake of federal cuts

San Francisco city and community leaders called on Mayor Ed Lee Wednesday to find money in the city's budget for local HIV and AIDS programs that are set to lose about nearly $8 million in federal funding later this year. Supervisors Scott Wiener, David Campos and Christina Olague were among ...

Richmond debates tax measure for sodas and other sugery drinks

A full house was in attendance at the Richmond City Council meeting Tuesday night as the members considered a ballot measure to levy a tax on the sale of soda and other sugary beverages. The idea is to tax the drinks one penny per ounce. The tax would make a ...

SF bond measure to improve city's parks introduced by mayor, supes

A $195 million bond measure to improve San Francisco's parks and playgrounds was introduced Tuesday by Mayor Ed Lee and the Board of Supervisors, who plan on putting the proposal in front of the city's voters on the November ballot. The money in the measure, which was introduced at today's ...

June ballot measure seeks to require competitive bidding for SF garbage services

A measure on the June ballot in San Francisco would require that the city's waste collection services be put up for competitive bidding, but the proposal's opponents claim it would create an unnecessary bureaucratic headache. Proposition A's backers include community activist Tony Kelly and retired Judge Quentin Kopp, who say ...

Local Presbyterian leaders refuse to sanction controversial minister

Leaders from the Presbyterian Church took what may be unprecedented action Tuesday in the case of a Bay Area minister who was in trouble for performing same sex marriages. For a Marin County Presbyterian Minister who got in trouble for performing same sex marriages Tuesday was a day she called ...

Agreement reached to keep Santa Rosa' Doyle Park Elementary open

The Santa Rosa Board of Education has agreed to keep the K-6 Doyle Park Elementary School open for the 2012-2013 school year. A settlement of a lawsuit filed in Sonoma County Superior Court on behalf of parents and community members objecting to the closure was reached Monday, said Jeffrey Hoffman, ...

Judge: City can present Mirkarimi abuse video to ethics commission

A video of the wife of suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi showing a bruise on her arm can be used in an ethics hearing that will determine his fate, a judge ruled Tuesday. On the tape, Eliana Lopez is seen crying and pointing to a bruise on her arm ...

State lawmaker wants changes in Title IX

If Brandi Chastain could have cried foul, she would have. The world-famous U.S. women's soccer player was in Sacramento on Monday with her Brazilian counterpart Sissi to be honored by the California Assembly as it recognized the 40th anniversary of Title IX. The occasion prompted Assemblyman Chris Norby to reveal ...

SF mayor seeks to woo Golden State Warriors

City leaders in San Francisco are courting the Golden State Warriors, trying to woo the pro basketball team back to the City by the Bay within five years Mayor Ed Lee sent a letter on Friday saying the city would work with Warriors executives to bring the team to San ...