How has life in the Bay Area changed over the last 20 years? These stories straight from our Bay City News archives capture news of the day from 5, 10, and 20 years ago – as originally published at the time. Explore these history snapshots and ponder how today’s news compares to that of years past.
JULY 15, 2021
Wildfire prevention increasingly depends on treating public lands before dead trees and drought turn recreation areas into fuel. The East Bay Regional Park District funding shows the state backing forest management and emergency equipment as climate risks grow.
Bay City News Reported:
“East Bay Parks Receive Wildfire Prevention Funding”
The East Bay Regional Park District received $13.5 million from the state this week to improve its ability to fight wildfires and remove fuels like dead and dying trees, district officials said Thursday.
The district will use $10 million of the direct appropriation to remove potential fuels from parks around the region while the remaining $3.5 million will be used to buy and replace fire-combating equipment like the district’s aging helicopter.
According to the district, Sens. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, and Bob Wieckowski, D-Fremont, proposed the $10 million in funding while Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, D-Orinda, proposed the equipment funding.
The appropriation was made available after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a $100 billion funding package on Monday.
“EBRPD has more than 1,500 acres of dead or dying trees affected by drought and climate change conditions that need immediate attention,” district Fire Chief Aileen Theile said in a statement, adding that the district is “shovel ready” to begin the necessary forest management projects.
Park district officials first noticed the sudden tree die-off in October 2020 and estimate that it will cost roughly $30 million on top of the $20.5 million the district has spent over the last decade to remove the dead and dying trees from all of the district’s parks.
According to the district, Anthony Chabot and Reinhardt Redwood regional parks in Oakland, Miller Knox Regional Shoreline in Richmond and Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley and Orinda are most in need of forest management to reduce the risk of wildfires in the region.
“The East Bay Regional Park District is a wonderful local resource for all of us who love the outdoors. But it is not immune from these dangerous conditions,” Wieckowski said. “By removing dead trees and other sources that fuel wildfires, the district is proactively working to reduce risks and improve safety, and these funds will help accelerate the process.”
To further reduce the risk of wildfires, the district has prohibited smoking in any district-operated park and also banned building fires outside of designated areas for the remainder of the fire season.
JULY 15, 2016
Disability rights enforcement has followed transportation from taxis into app-based platforms. The Uber settlement shows courts and advocates requiring new technology companies to carry old civil-rights obligations into their driver systems.
Bay City News reported:
“Uber Service Animal Settlement Wins Preliminary Approval”
A lawsuit settlement between Uber Technologies Inc. and advocates for blind people who use service animals was given preliminary approval by a U.S. District Court judge this week.
As part of the settlement, which was approved Thursday, San Francisco-based Uber would have to take steps to prevent discrimination against certain blind users of the ride-hailing service.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by the National Federation of the Blind, its California affiliate as well as individuals who use guide dogs. It would be the first nationwide class-action settlement of its kind against an app-based transportation network company, according to a news release from the plaintiffs today.
Plaintiffs alleged in the lawsuit that drivers using the Uber platform denied rides to blind people who use guide dogs, violating federal and state laws protecting rights of people with disabilities.
Uber agreed to a settlement with the plaintiffs, which may receive final approval on Nov. 10 in federal court.
“This settlement sets (an) important precedent and shows that companies cannot ignore the rights of people with disabilities just because they use a new technology or a novel business model,” Larry Paradis, an attorney with Disability Rights Advocates, said in a statement.
Under the settlement, the company will issue an advisory to drivers about their obligations to transport riders who are disabled and use service animals and confirm they understand those obligations.
Uber also agreed to the implementation of stricter enforcement policies for drivers who knowingly deny a person with a disability a ride because they are traveling with a service animal.
The company will additionally upgrade its response system for those who file complaints regarding these instances.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit said they will test Uber’s compliance with the settlement terms over multiple years.
“We look forward to working with Uber to ensure that all blind passengers can take advantage of the innovative transportation service it offers,” Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said in a statement.
Uber did not respond to a request for a comment on the settlement this afternoon.
JULY 15, 2006
Wildfires on the Bay Area’s inland edge remain regional threats even when most acreage burns beyond county lines. The containment update shows crews protecting Henry Coe State Park and nearby communities after a large Del Puerto Canyon fire crossed into Santa Clara County.
Bay City News reported:
“Stanislaus-Santa Clara Wildfire Reaches 75 Percent Containment“
A wildfire burning in Stanislaus and Santa Clara counties since Sunday is now 75 percent contained, according to Chris Morgan, a fire prevention specialist with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention.
The blaze has consumed an estimated 31,000 acres, most of which are in Stanislaus County. All forward motion of the fire into Santa Clara County has been stopped, Morgan said.
CDF is predicting that the fire will be contained by 5 p.m. Sunday, according to Morgan.
Firefighters need to build 2 more miles of fire line, Morgan said.
CDF could begin the demobilization of equipment and people at 6 p.m. on Monday, Morgan said, depending on how work on the fire proceeds tonight and Sunday.
Del Puerto Canyon Road was re-opened at 8 a.m. this morning, according to Morgan.
The fire has destroyed 10 homes and three outbuildings but is no longer threatening any additional structures, according to CDF spokesman John Whiteside
The blaze, which started in the Del Puerto Canyon west of Patterson near the Frank Raines Regional Park in Stanislaus County on Sunday afternoon, is no longer seriously threatening Henry Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California, covering 87,000 square miles.
The effort has cost more than $8 million and as of 7 a.m. today, has engaged 2,051 firefighters in the effort.
Five firefighters have suffered minor injuries.
CDF is also asking anyone who may have seen a person or vehicle between post markers 12 and 13 in the Del Puerto Canyon Road area on Sunday at around 4 p.m. to contact CDF fire investigators.
Editor’s Note: All the reporting, writing, and editing of this content was done by human journalists at the time of initial publication. AI tools were used to surface these stories from our internal Bay City News archives and provide the introductory context.