Californians: ballots for the June primary election start getting mailed out to voters in a couple weeks.

Need to register? Moved and need to update your addresss? Not sure? You can check and update your voter registration at vote.ca.gov

At Thursday's Rent Board meeting we got the update on the latest median rents for new tenants in Berkeley, the summary is at
rentboard.berkeleyca.gov/sites/defaul...

Been working with others in @calelectricrail.org to help make it happen in California! The organization has supported state legislation & recently put out recommendations on how to build high speed rail and other transit projects cheaper not just in CA but anywhere. Join us!
bsky.app/profile/cale...

The thing that stood out was how when faced with a new type of disaster, states linked up based on previous coalitions that were formed to deal with other disasters, such as wildfires, floods, etc.

That and college football. This was before conference realignment made most conferences national.

Thanks! It was a map with frequent updates, sometimes daily, over several chaotic weeks

Prepare your family for emergencies at April 18 event | City of Berkeley Practice using a fire extinguisher. Build an emergency supply kit and emergency plan. Explore a fire truck at the West Berkeley Family Wellness Center. Everyone in your household can attend a resource fair to learn practical skills and pick up supplies to prepare for emergencies. Kids and adults alike can get hands-on training using a fire extinguisher. Start building your emergency kit—we’ll provide a backpack, flashlight, first aid kit, and more.At the April 18 fair, you can also start filling out a family emergency plan. Public health and emergency services staff will be on hand for personalized support with thinking through your specific needs and to answer questions along the way.

Join us this Saturday, April 18 to get your family ready for emergencies.

Learn how to use a fire extinguisher
Build your own emergency supply kit
Create your family's emergency plan

Get the advice, skills, and supplies you need to keep your family safe.

Details:

Vaccines for healthy pre-teens and teens | City of Berkeley Adolescents ages 9-18 are due for key vaccines. Uninsured youth can get free vaccines from the City of Berkeley Immunization Clinic. Parents of uninsured adolescents can come to the City of Berkeley immunization clinic to check their child’s vaccination status and, if needed, catch up on their missing shots.Staying up to date on vaccines is important for families at a variety of ages. Adolescence is an important time to check vaccine status as kids age 9 to 18 can get proven protections to help protect against of a variety of diseases.

Parents of uninsured adolescents, come to the City of Berkeley immunization clinic to check your child’s vaccination status and, if needed, catch up on their missing shots.

Children under 18 without insurance can get free vaccinations at our City clinic.

Read more:

I was going to say that sounds like an early 20th century interurban, except LA's A line runs within one big metro area, so, an intraurban? 🚋😂

Unlike power and data cables or pipes, railway couplers are not gendered. 🚋💛🤍💜🖤🚋

Can't be 4, that's an unlucky number, it's got to be 5. 😂🏙️

That's @worldbollardassoc.bsky.social !

Impressive! I think there are some similar sections of closely spaced tunnels planned for California high speed rail where the line crosses the mountains to exit the Central Valley.

If it's big it's likely a pomelo! I see them a lot in Asian grocery stores, especially around New Year.

My favorite electronics related phrase is spicy pillow - a damage battery that bulges. They are a fire hazard.

Its all downstream from zoning and it's apartment bans and business bans.
In my neighborhood, more food trucks and popup food stands have started showing up on streets without businesses over the last few years.

Screenshot of April's edition of the 511 CCTA Newsletter, featuring a story called Five Ways to Save at the Gas Pump

If you're not getting the 511 CCTA monthly newsletter you're missing out on stories like:

• How to save at the gas pump
• Where Earth Day & Earth Month events are happening
• How to get ready for Bike to Wherever Days

Read the latest issue (and subscribe): 511.ccta.ca.gov/newsletter @ccta.net

Cal Day Berkeley 2026 | Visit Berkeley Experience Cal Day Berkeley 2026 on April 18. Build your Cal Day schedule with campus events, tours, and more while visiting UC Berkeley with your family.

Cal Day is this Saturday! Lots of prospective students will be visiting UC Berkeley throughout the day. 🐻
www.visitberkeley.com/events/berke...

Celebrate Earth Day early at North Shattuck's Swap 'n Shop featuring community swaps, sidewalk sales, and a festive after-party celebrating sustainability! 🌎 🖌️🧰 👚

Saturday, April 18 | 11 am - 4 pm
Shattuck Avenue and Vine Street

More Info: www.northshattuck.org/swap-n-shop

Berkeley Rent Board Meeting Thursday 4/16/26 - 7pm Software and data system contract award Resolutions and more! Berkeley Rent Board Commissioner Alfred Twu

Berkeley Rent Board meets this Thursday! The main item will be a discussion and vote on a contract for a Comprehensive Rental Information and Housing Services Management System (a data and software package) with EcoMetricx.

Full agenda at rentboard.berkeleyca.gov/berkeley-ren...

Many how-to videos are available on the Rent Board website at
www.youtube.com/@BerkeleyRen...

For a while I was wondering why the lead levels are lower for people who were born in 1975 vs. the years before and after, and I realized that was right around the time there was gas rationing.

Thanks!

Want to get a heat pump? Incentives and rebates are available in our area! avaenergy.org/go-electric/...

Through the view of one community in San Jose, this article tells the whole story of the Bay Area housing crisis, from the lack of housing to the unequal economy. There's also a section on the negative consequences of Prop 13.

When I lived in group student housing, the dish room was U-shaped, with dirty dishes on one leg, the sink & machine in the middle, and the rack for clean dishes on the opposite leg. Fairly efficient!

I know someone who addressed this by installing two dishwashers in the kitchen! After running dishwasher 1, it becomes the cabinet, and when the dishes are dirty they go into washer 2. I suppose they used the same dishes every day.

Have noticed this also, and a lot of it is, of course, Gender

Wk 6 QTAPI Workshop References References “Breathing Fire, Remembering Asian Pacific Islander Activism in LGBTQ History” by Amy Sueyoshi, 2016 https://www.academia.edu/31345582/Breathing_Fire “Chains of Babylon, The Rise of Asian...

Special shoutout to Queer & Asian at San Jose State University for their excellent workshop on our communities' history - they have also put together a list of links for further reading on AAPI and queer movements! docs.google.com/document/d/1...

Alfred in front of a screen that says Welcome to cal queer and Asian Conference 2026, wearing a pink blazer, Chinese style shirt with high collar, and long floral skirt

Learned a lot & met many people at this year's Queer & Asian Conference in Berkeley! I led a workshop on state & local politics- many of our rights are defended at the state & local level, & many local issues such as housing are very much queer and AAPI issues, affecting where we can live and more.

That makes sense. I figure if siphonage really was an issue we would be hearing about it from people living outside the US and Canada.