Catch Me Up: Daily news roundup for Aug. 5, 2025

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This Daily News Roundup for the 24 hours from 4:00 PM Monday 8/4 to 4:00 PM Tuesday 8/5 is based on news articles created by Bay City News reporters and editors. We prompted ChatGPT to analyze the articles produced by our staff and to choose 5 stories to highlight. Then we used ElevenLabs and other tools to help us convert the text into audio based on the voice of Leslie Katz, one of our Bay City News editors. This content was verified by a human editor.

Hello, and welcome to Bay City News for Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. Here is a look at some of the top stories from across the region.

Our partners at San Jose Spotlight report that the Alum Rock Union School District in East San Jose has appointed a new interim leader after firing its second superintendent within a year. In a unanimous vote during a special board meeting on Saturday, the district chose Sandra Garcia, assistant superintendent of instructional services, as its acting superintendent, effective Aug. 12. Garcia had already taken on major administrative responsibilities and has a long career as an educator in the district. The district abruptly fired Superintendent German Cerda on Thursday, after hiring him last fall. Board President Linda Chavez expressed confidence in Garcia’s ability to lead during this critical transitional period. However, former trustee Andrea Flores Shelton called the repeated firings a “nightmare Groundhog’s Day,” questioning the board’s decision-making. The East San Jose school district has been struggling financially, facing a $20 million budget deficit and declining enrollment, which led to a vote last year to close six schools for the 2025-26 school year. San Jose Councilmember Peter Ortiz has called for an in-person meeting between the school district, San Jose City Council, Santa Clara County Board of Education, and the California Department of Education to address the ongoing challenges.

Meanwhile, in Novato, city street maintenance workers, building inspectors, park and recreation coordinators, and city planners went on strike today over contract negotiations and staffing shortages. The striking workers, represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1021, claim the city is not dedicating additional revenue from Measure M, a sales tax increase approved by voters in November, to improve worker compensation. The city’s website indicates that Measure M is expected to generate $10 million annually and help address a $4 million budget deficit. The union stated that the city has not been transparent about how the Measure M funds will be spent, despite promises to use the money for parks, police, and potholes. In response, the Novato City Council expressed disappointment with the strike, stating they have offered an 11% raise over three years for all SEIU employees, with some receiving up to 24% through equity adjustments. Police services are not expected to be impacted by the strike, but longer response times are anticipated for administrative services like permits, and some city programs, including gymnastics classes and camps, will be closed through Saturday.

Shifting our focus to Richmond, police on Monday evening shot and killed a man who was allegedly threatening people with knives in the city’s Iron Triangle neighborhood. Officers responded to a home in the 400 block of First Street around 5 p.m. following reports of a man armed with knives making threats. Upon arrival, officers heard a disturbance inside and announced their presence. Police say the suspect, who has not yet been identified, came to the door holding at least one knife or other edged weapon. Two officers fired their guns, and the man died at the scene. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office is investigating the shooting, and the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure in such incidents.

In other developments, as San Francisco prepares to welcome around 75,000 people each day for the Outside Lands Music Festival this weekend, concertgoers are advised of multiple transportation options. The festival, running from Friday through Sunday in Golden Gate Park, strongly discourages driving due to extremely limited parking and expected traffic. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency is expanding public transportation services, including additional Muni light-rail trains on the N-Judah line from 3 p.m. to midnight on Saturday and Sunday. Extra bus service on the 5R-Fulton Rapid line will operate from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on festival days for arrivals. For departures, a 5X Fulton Express bus will pick up riders between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. nightly at Fulton Street and 30th Avenue, dropping off at the Civic Center BART station. Temporary taxi stands and designated loading zones for ride-hailing services will also be in place, though pickups and drop-offs will be strictly prohibited in several areas, including within Golden Gate Park and specific residential streets, with citations to be issued for violations. Bikes, scooters, and walking are also recommended, and Outside Lands will offer free bicycle parking.

Finally, some news from Santa Clara, where city officials have temporarily closed Nuevo Dog Park after multiple reports of dogs becoming ill, including one fatality in late July. The park, located at Ryder Street and La Rambla Avenue, is now undergoing a thorough environmental investigation launched by the city. Officials stated on Monday that they are taking the situation seriously and extended their sympathies to the family of the dog that passed away. The city emphasized that no pesticides are used in their dog parks, and all are regularly cleaned with pet- and eco-friendly products. Nuevo Dog Park will remain closed until further notice as testing is completed. Residents with questions or concerns are encouraged to contact the city’s Dog Park Hotline or submit a report through the MySantaClara app.

And those are some of the top stories we’re following. Thank you for joining us for Bay City News.