MOFD approves purchase of building at 1150 Moraga Way
The Moraga-Orinda Fire District board on March 31 approved the purchase of the building located at 1150 Moraga Way for $3.6 million. The former home of Mason McDuffie, the…
Civic
Siesta Valley Bowl moves toward opening this spring or summer
Siesta Valley Bowl announced two new hires recently. David Lefkowitz, senior vice president of Talent at Blue Note Entertainment Group, will lead talent booking and programming,…
Off leash dog park at Orinda Oaks nears completion
The off-leash dog park at Orinda Oaks Park is nearly finished. Most of the fencing is up, although gates are still required. On a sunny day in April, a small dog named Paddington…
Orinda rejects all bids for Crossroads Plaza renovation
Confusion about the bidding process led to the Orinda City Council on March 17 rejecting all five bids received to renovate the Crossroads Plaza. The area is located at the…
Wagner Ranch Nature Area planning gets underway
Around 100 people attended a community meeting at Wagner Ranch Elementary School in Orinda on March 24. The meeting was hosted by the John Muir Land Trust (JMLT), which acquired…
Ana Moon named Moraga Citizen of the Year
Moraga Citizens Network announced on April 2 that Ana Moon has been chosen as its 2026 Citizen of the Year for her "huge impact on the quality of the Moraga schools." Her…
Town Council remembers former, three-term Mayor Al Dessayer
Moraga’s Town Council paid tribute to former Mayor Alfred “Al” Dessayer who passed away at the age of 86 on Feb. 25. A moment was set aside during the March 25 meeting to…
Llama alert at SMC
Periodically Saint Mary’s College offers some type of “pet” therapy for students to get up-close and personal exposure with a people-friendly animal. In the past,…
Town Council hears Facilities Energy Generation Project update
In an effort to prevent the possibility of future Pacific Gas & Electric's Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) disrupting the functioning of Town facilities such as the Moraga…
Young entrepreneur fulfilling her dreams in Rheem Valley Shopping Center
At 30 years old and likely one of the youngest business owners in Rheem Valley Shopping Center, Camille Bayani’s BEING Hair and Skin Studio is helping her to fulfill a passion…
Lafayette accepts artwork of Hillside Memorial
During the March 23 Lafayette City Council meeting, Public Art Committee (PAC) Staff Liaison Jenny Rosen presented a staff report on behalf of the PAC suggesting the council…
Mixed-Use Condo Development Approved for Downtown Lafayette Site
Consultant Planner Monica Ly presented a staff report to the Lafayette City Council during its March 23 meeting regarding the Mount Diablo Condominiums project – a development…
Spring egg hunts kick off the season of family fun events
As one of the first of several family friendly spring events, the Moraga Junior Women’s Club held its 43rd Annual Spring Festival at Commons Park, attracting not only Lamorinda…
Camino Pablo ‘School Meals Art Exhibition’
Camino Pablo's fourth and fifth graders from Ms. Clare Fallon and Ms. Brigitt McGee's classes held a School Meals Art Exhibition throughout the month of February at the Moraga…
Orinda city council returns to issue of private roads
The contentious issue of how the City of Orinda deals with the acceptance of private roads returned to the Orinda City Council on March 3, when the council heard a report from the…
Lamorinda, Contra Costa County plan to go big on emergency communications exercise
Radio enthusiasts in Contra Costa County and Lamorinda have been invited to participate in this year’s BEACON exercise on April 30, and they are planning to make an impact. The…
High School District hosts first ever career fair focused on trades
A rainy night did not stop a crowd of students and parents turning out to the Del Val Education Center for the Acalanes Union High School District Career Pathways Fair. More than…
Moraga adopts resolution ratifying two MOFD ordinances
Moraga’s Town Council adopted a resolution ratifying Moraga-Orinda Fire District ordinances pertaining to Fire Code and Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) during its Feb. 11…
Saint Mary’s College holds a ‘Know Your Rights’ workshop
In the wake of recent federal immigration enforcement, Saint Mary’s College held a workshop for students, staff, and educators with the intent of providing legal rights guidance…
Moraga School District Board approves education parcel tax for June ballot
According to a government code, the Moraga School District (MSD) board of directors is required to conduct a public hearing before its final vote on whether to approve an…
Two robbery suspects apprehended in Lafayette
Following the report of a bank robbery at about 1:01 p.m. on Feb. 17 at the 3100 block of Danville Boulevard in Alamo, Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office Valley Station deputy…
Lafayette Announces 2026 Citizen of the Year: Carol Singer
Lafayette Senior Planner Alry Cassidy introduced Objective Design Standards (ODS) to the City Council during its Jan. 12 meeting, before turning the presentation over to Monica…
Lafayette City Council addresses concerns over downtown food trucks
Following a request from the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce to review food truck activity in downtown Lafayette and to consider whether ordinance or parking restrictions are…
Park Theater renovation plans and timeline presented to City Council
As part of the Lafayette City Council’s commitment to strengthening Lafayette’s civic values through arts organization presentations at the beginning of the first council…
Joaquin Moraga Adobe opens its doors for public tours
Since 2008 the Friends of the Joaquin Moraga Adobe have worked hard to save the historic site, and now they have succeeded gloriously. Over almost 20 years, the group sought to…
Orinda Library tile replacement to begin
Eric F. Anderson, Inc. has been awarded a $163,569 contract to replace missing accent tiles on the Orinda Library. There was a competitive bid process and the city of Orinda…
AUHSD moves ahead with Miramonte Pool Restoration
The Acalanes Union High School District board decided in January to move ahead with the restoration of the swimming pool at Miramonte High School by breaking the project down into…
FSMO receives $40K grant to help low-income residents with vegetation removal
Local nonprofit group Fire Safe Moraga-Orinda (FSMO) has been granted $40,000 by Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen. The grant is intended to identify and help…
Orinda moves to approve multifamily housing on Altarinda Road
Despite objections, the Orinda City Council on Feb. 3 voted unanimously to move forward with approval of a project that could eventually lead to the existing medical office…
Moraga and Orinda awarded $508K grant for Moraga Way Safety Study
The Town of Moraga and the City of Orinda are joining forces for the Moraga Way Safety and Connectivity Planning Study. To that end, both municipalities are sharing a $508,000…
EBMUD undertakes Carter and Arroyo Reservoir Improvement Project
East Bay Municipal Utility District has begun the Carter and Arroyo Reservoir Improvement Project with the intention of enhancing water quality, renewing aging infrastructure, and…
LARIG participates in Winter Radio Field Day
The Lamorinda Area Radio Interest Group participated in Winter Field Day on Jan. 24. Al Archangel and Jeff Peacock set up on the ridge overlooking the ball fields in the…
Lafayette council discusses new objective design standards
Lafayette Senior Planner Alry Cassidy introduced Objective Design Standards (ODS) to the City Council during its Jan. 12 meeting, before turning the presentation over to Monica…
Residents embrace gas leaf blower ban
Just one citation has been issued in response to the City of Lafayette’s ban on gas powered leaf blowers since it went into effect July 1, 2024 – a sign that voluntary…
New Mayor demands improvements to Moraga Shopping Center
For several years, Moraga residents have complained about the dilapidated condition of the Moraga Shopping Center calling it a dump, a blight, tacky, unwelcoming, and an…
Lamorinda high school students take to streets to protest ICE actions
Many older community members have been at the forefront of periodic "No Kings" protests in downtown Lafayette, as well as in Concord and Walnut Creek and elsewhere since President…
Lamorinda CERT’s drone presentation highlights usage within law enforcement and wildfire situations
Drones have become a popular piece of surveillance equipment, not only in today’s warfare to carry weapons, such as explosives, onto a battlefield or over civilian…
Orinda mayor gives awards of excellence before selection of new mayor, vice mayor
The Orinda City Council selected a new mayor and vice mayor according to its custom on Dec. 16, 2025. Before the selection, outgoing Mayor Latika Malkani announced that she was…
Persian Café opens in Theatre Square
Chef Shabnam Ameli has opened a Persian-style café in Theatre Square in Orinda and is making many people happy with her creative offerings. She is assisted in her endeavor by her…
A look back at Rheem Valley Shopping Center 60 years ago
Now that a new Grocery Outlet is under construction at the Rheem Valley Shopping Center, it’s safe to say that there hasn’t been this type of retail development or…