Nik Wojcik - East Bay Editor

$2,000 Stimulus Payments and Defense Spending at Stake in Senate Showdown
The Senate is in a showdown Tuesday over key pieces of legislation to support struggling Americans and the nation’s defense. The clock is ticking as Congress itches to go on recess and the current session nears its end — newly elected representatives will be sworn in Sunday, less the two

Alex Padilla Will Replace Kamala Harris in U.S. Senate
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla has been tapped to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by now Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Padilla will be the first Latino to represent the Golden State at the Senate level. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the appointment Tuesday in a statement issued by

100 Best Cheap Eats in the Bay Area
This list of great places to eat in the Bay Area will leave you smiling and probably drooling. All these joints are incredibly well priced, locally owned, delicious, and serving takeout in 2020. Check their links for store hours, menus, and ordering info, because things are always changing these days,

David Misch: The System Failed to Protect Michaela Garecht From a Serial Killer in the Making
Michaela Joy Garecht was 9 years old and just four blocks away from home when she was abducted in broad daylight from outside Hayward’s Rainbow Market on Mission Boulevard. It was late morning on Nov. 19, 1988 when Michaela and her best friend rode their scooters together down to the

Scott Wiener Tries Again to End Mandatory Sentences for Nonviolent Drug Offenders
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, introduced legislation Tuesday that aims to end minimum sentencing for nonviolent drug offenders. In a Tweet Tuesday, Wiener said: “The War on Drugs failed. Let’s own that failure & move forward.” As one commenter quickly pointed out, the War on Drugs succeeded at one thing:

San Francisco Administers First COVID-19 Vaccinations
San Francisco began administering COVID-19 vaccinations to frontline health care workers Tuesday morning. The city was one of the state’s four initial distribution hubs that welcomed vaccine doses Monday, receiving 2,000 units of the Pfizer vaccine. California as a whole received a little more than 33,000 doses Monday, which nearly

Oakland Gets a Shake Shack!
Oakland’s very first Shake Shack opened for business Tuesday. Located on the ground floor of the brand new “workplace re-imagined” Uptown Station on Telegraph Avenue, the city’s newest burger joint is bringing the fast food game with more than just burgers. Hot and spicy crinkle cut cheese fries, anyone? How

‘Wayne’ Is the Righteous Rage We All Need Right Now
It’s no secret that pandemic life has increased our stress and diminished our emotional wellbeing. We’re broke, scared, anxious…and downright angry at times, and it’s hard under current restrictions to find an outlet to release those pent up emotions. Let’s face it, we all want to punch something or someone

California Works to Secure Millions of Vaccine Doses As COVID-19 Surge Pushes State to Brink
If all goes according to plan, a little more than 1 million California healthcare workers could soon be vaccinated against COVID-19. While the news offers much needed hope, it does not provide us a way out of the current surge. Still, things are at least moving in the right direction.