School funding, City Council, MOFD board top Nov. 3 ballot
The ballot is big on Nov. 3, and Orinda residents have a lot of issues to vote on. Here’s a quick summary...
John Goyak, beloved Casa Orinda owner and community fixture, dies
In its 94 years, few changes have been made to Casa Orinda. But now, the beloved Orinda restaurant faces its biggest change...
Traffic problems near Miramonte worse this year after schedule shift
Despite the best efforts of school and city officials to improve traffic congestion, new school scheduling changes have added a wrinkle to...
Orinda homeowners await state approval of new Zone 0 fire rules
Orinda residents continue to remain in the dark about new “Zone 0” fire prevention regulations – and no one knows when those...
Two candidates battle for Central Sanitary District seat
Voters in Central Contra Costa Sanitary District’s Division 2 will choose between incumbent Michael McGill and challenger Brian Henderson in the Nov....
Free legal help for seniors available through Contra Costa nonprofit
Matthew Hulse and his organization can help seniors – but, he believes, not enough people know it exists. Contra Costa Senior...
Orinda council candidates tackle economic development, fire safety
With three incumbents and one newcomer battling for three seats on the Orinda City Council, the Nov. 3 election is an opportunity...
OUSD board candidates clash on AI, traffic, screen time and funding
This election season, Orinda voters will decide between competing visions for the Orinda Union School District. Four candidates are contending for...
Only one fire district incumbent on the ballot in critical election
As the risk and potential impact of wildfires have increased, so has local interest in the Moraga-Orinda Fire District (MOFD). Three...
Classic Car Show draws crowd of connoisseurs
The classic cars were gorgeous, the weather was perfect, and the combination drew thousands to Orinda on Sept. 12 for The Orinda...
John Muir Land Trust unveils plans for the Wagner Ranch Nature Area
When local students returned to school this year, it was again without one of its most unique and popular classrooms – the...
OUSD’s transitional kindergarten a problem for private preschools
Launched in the 2021-22 California state budget, the state’s Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) initiative offers families with four-year-old children the option of free-of-cost...
Long-time board member McGill seeks another Central San term
The Central Contra Costa Sanitary District may not attract the attention of a city council or school board race, but its decisions...
Three candidates will face off in county education board election
Orinda voters will choose among three candidates on Nov. 3 for the Contra Costa County Board of Education’s Area 2 seat: incumbent...
Orinda’s BART station could close if voters reject Measure RTM
Local BART riders may take the system for granted until the train they need is no longer running and the Orinda station...
AUHSD parcel tax supporters pushing for two-thirds majority
With just a month to go before the November election, Orinda voters appear to have mixed emotions about the Acalanes Union High...
Incumbents Bauer-Kahan and DeSaulnier pursue another term
Election season is drawing nearer, and three incumbents representing the Lamorinda area are seeking a return to their posts. Assemblymember Rebecca...
Festival of Trees Celebrates 40 Years
The Orinda Woman’s Club will celebrate its 40th anniversary with its annual Festival of Trees fundraiser Friday, Nov. 20, at the San...
Coupes, convertibles and community to combine at Classic Car Show
Orinda’s Classic Car Show is definitely about polished chrome and sleek machines – but it’s also about kids gawking, teenagers geeking out...
MOFD’s board will have a new look after Nov. 3 election
The Moraga Orinda Fire District (MOFD) might be the single most important governmental organization in Lamorinda. Its board of directors is responsible...
Orinda Council election draws three incumbents, one challenger
With the filing deadline now long gone, the field has been set for the Orinda City Council election. Three incumbents and one...
Acalanes district will once again ask voters to approve parcel tax
It’s official. Acalanes Union High School District trustees voted unanimously on Aug. 5 to return to voters Nov. 3 with a proposed...
Residents can weigh in on Community Park renovation plans
Changes are coming to the playground at the Orinda Community Park, but city officials aren’t going to move forward until they get...
Orinda’s voters will help decide BART’s future in November vote
This fall, voters in Contra Costa County will weigh in on a handful of local ballot measures. Orinda residents heading to...
Coming home to the 4th of July
I volunteered to photograph this year’s 4th of July parade. I walked away with a full SD card, new friendships and –...
Maintaining Miramonte excellence is new principal’s priority
Bill Schloss, Miramonte High School’s new principal, describes himself as a “husband and a dad more than anything else. Everything else really...
Orinda’s new welcome mat will be ready by the end of August
The front door to the City of Orinda is getting a glow-up. A new “Welcome to Orinda” sign, new landscaping and...
EBMUD upgrades will cut the amount of chemicals in its water
Big things are happening at East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD)’s Orinda Water Treatment Plant (WTP) on Camino Pablo Road, as an...
New Citizens’ Academy unravels the mystery of how cities are governed
Ever wondered how a new stoplight gets approved? Or a dog park is proposed and built? Or what developers have to go...
Library event uncovers Chinese impact on Napa Valley wineries
John McCormick will come to the Orinda Library on Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. to show a documentary film based on his...
Fun, flags and of course, a parade, highlight Orinda’s 4th of July
Flags – 42 of them – will don the railing above the Orinda plaza this year – one for each year the parade...
Miramonte’s new principal has experience all over California
William Schloss was appointed principal of Miramonte High School, effective July 1. He replaces Ben Campopiano, who resigned to take an administrative...
FAIR Plan premiums expected to rise by 30% or more in October
Fire risk is up and private insurers are fleeing California. Which means more and more homeowners, especially in Orinda, are forced...
Fire district digging its new digs
A major move doesn’t usually have people doing cartwheels, but don’t tell that to Moraga-Orinda Fire District Board President Craig Jorgens. ...
Bauer-Kahan wins primary, favored in November
Rebecca Bauer-Kahan dominated the June 2 primary election for the California State Assembly, earning 64.7% of the vote. Bauer-Kahan, an Orinda...
Contra Costa County voters turn down tax increase and bond issue
Contra Costa County voters said “no, thanks” to two ballot measures in the June 2 primary election. The tax-based Measure B...
Miramonte High School principal resigns; replacement expected June 3
Miramonte High School will have a new principal for the upcoming school year – and perhaps even in the next few weeks. Ben...
Orinda homeowners now eligible for $2,500 fire safety grants
Correction: Beautiful Moraga Orinda is run by the Moraga-Orinda Firewise Network. If the wind blew a burning ember to your door, would your home...
Dogs have plenty of room to ramble at off-leash Orinda Oaks
“Off leash, free to roam. Unbound and bounding. Joy on four legs.” – Mary Oliver Dogs and dog lovers know just what poet...
June 5 primary ballot has lots of elections that affect Orinda
It’s time to head to the polls for the June 2 primary election, and there’s a lot on the table for California voters...
Fire safety future on the line in upcoming MOFD election
While the state is fired up over the June 2 Primary Election, one local special district can wait till the smoke clears before...
Miramonte once again honored by state’s education department
Fewer than 200 of the state’s 1,295 public high schools received the 2026 Distinguished School Award and even fewer earned it twice in...
A Message from the OA – June 2026
Make the 4th a happy one
The Orinda 4th of July parade and party will soon be here, and let’s make the day a...
A complex school funding process penalizes Orinda
The Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) is staring at significant budget cuts unless local taxpayers open up their wallets. Three nearby elementary...
AUHSD may go back to the ballot
Springtime, when a school board’s fancies turn to … parcel taxes. Acalanes Union High School District (AUHSD) is facing $2 million in budget...
Budget structure hampers OUSD
It’s a question that Orinda Schools Superintendent Aida Glimme says she faces often: If school districts start with the same base amount for...
Malkani the only Council incumbent who’s definitely decided to run
With three seats on the Orinda City Council ballot in November, and a filing deadline in August, incumbents and potential candidates are beginning...
Pet of the Month – May 2026
“This is Tank! He’s a five-year-old golden-doodle,” said Kristofer Konietzko of Orinda.
There’s help for homeowners dealing with fire obligations
The envelopes say “ABATEMENT NOTICE Please Open Immediately” in big red letters, and inside, is a letter detailing a long list of...
