Contra Costa Times

San Jose philosophy professors' open letter challenges Harvard University online class offer. They see a threat of being replaced with "cheap online education." More »San Jose State professors fire back at online class offer

A San Francisco investment firm has joined Richmond on a plan that could make the city the first in the nation to use its power of eminent domain to seize underwater mortgages and keep struggling families … More »Eminent domain could be used in battle against foreclosures in Richmond

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan is getting heat for not walking the walk when it comes to be being frugal with taxpayer funds. More »Despite pledged cut, Quan seeks budget boost for her staff

Decensae White, 25, is due in court May 31 and was being held in Fulton County, Ga., jail Friday, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Tracy Flanagan said. More »Peninsula basketball star Decensae White arrested on murder charge, extradited to Georgia

"He was dedicated to equality, he was dedicated to his family and he was an outstanding humanitarian." More »Friends, family celebrate Oakland community leader David Glover

Ericka Gallego, 60, was planning to pass off baby as her own, but friends called police More »Grandma sentenced to eight years in prison for kidnapping infant granddaughter to fulfill fake pregnancy

Police say a group of people has stormed jeans shops in Livermore and Walnut Creek, grabbed stacks of True Religion jeans, and ran to waiting getaway cars. More »Livermore: Upscale denim thieves swarm store at Paragon outlets

Federal court documents say that Andre Franklin sold a relic worth more than $800,000 for barely more than $1,000, then tried to extort the person who bought the item. More »Hayward man indicted in theft of Gold Rush-era jewelry box from Oakland Museum

Community donations are helping to finance officers' costly partners More »Antioch police hoping to buy two more K-9s

A Madera County woman suffered no injuries after a wild Livermore crash that occurred when her medical condition flared up after she had stopped on Concannon Boulevard. More »Livermore: Madera County woman escapes injury after truck tears off embankment, into backyard of home

Put your ear to the streets of East Oakland and be surprised. Or not, if you've paid attention over the last decade to the likes of music producer Yancey Richardson, multiplatinum producer Raphael Saadiq, … More »Oakland music: Adrian Marcel hits the right note with Grammy Award winner Raphael Saadiq, producer Yancey Richardson

WALNUT CREEK -- The Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation has given a $50,000 challenge grant to Save Mount Diablo to help pay for the restoration of the historic beacon atop Mount Diablo. More »Matching grant awarded to help restore the historic Mount Diablo beacon

A teenage boy was arrested on felony assault and robbery charges Thursday in connection with an attack that critically injured an 83-year-old man near an Orchard Supply Hardware store May 18, authorities … More »Antioch: 15-year-old suspect arrested in robbery, brutal beating of elderly man

High school athlete Amir Khakimov, 18, collapsed suddenly while working out May 13 and was rushed to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he underwent brain surgery. After having suffered extensive … More »Walnut Creek: Las Lomas High School wrestler dies suddenly of brain aneurysm

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network's Lipo Chanthanasak of Richmond was one of 12 recipients of the Champions of Change Award, given out to people each week by The White House Council on Environmental … More »From Laos to Richmond, local man honored by White House for environmental activism

Beachgoers in Marin should have no reservations about jumping in and taking a dip as the weather warms - at least based on water quality. The county's beaches have some of cleanest water in the state during … More »Bay Area beaches get top marks for water quality in report for spring and summer

A man accused of booking himself into two Marin County rehabs under the name of a former White Zombie drummer was sentenced to jail Thursday for fraud and grand theft. More »'White Zombie' impostor sentenced for rehab frauds in Marin

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom's new entertainment offering -- Cirque Dreams Splashtastic -- The Most Amazing Show Above H2O! -- premiered to a crowd of about 2,000 special guests Wednesday. More »Six Flags Discovery Kingdom opens new Splashtastic experience

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A San Francisco State University professor considering a run for Oakland mayor is drawing scrutiny for a class assignment that asked students to create a political campaign ad and … More »Former Oakland mayoral candidate's class assignment raises ethics question

SAN FRANCISCO -- Newspaper veteran Jeffrey Johnson will be the new publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle and former Yahoo Inc. (YHOO) executive Joanne Bradford will be the publication's next president, … More »Former Yahoo executive named San Francisco Chronicle president

GREENVILLE, Calif. -- A moderate earthquake centered in rural northeastern California and felt in two other states damaged some homes and ruptured a tank that supplies residential drinking water in the … More »5.7 Northern California quake followed by dozens of aftershocks

SAN FRANCISCO - A man was arrested for allegedly masturbating outside of a hospital in San Francisco's Presidio Heights neighborhood on Wednesday morning, police said. More »Man arrested for masturbating outside San Francisco hospital

Scott C. Johnson was 14 when his father finally revealed, 'Scotty, I'm a spy.' Johnson discusses the impact of his dad's clandestine career in an interview about the new memoir, 'The Wolf and the Watchman: … More »Bay Area author on impact of dad's CIA career