The city has been embroiled in a legal dispute with Berkeley Homeless Union since last year over the fate of the Harrison Street corridor.

Last week, the city announced new plans to clear the camp, ordering tent residents to move by Monday, Aug. 3. (Vehicle dwellers were excluded from the order.)

Berkeley Homeless Union immediately asked a judge to prohibit this week's sweep via a temporary restraining order.

Without letting the city respond, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen granted the request.

In his latest order, Chen says he wants to know if Berkeley has done enough to help campers before making them move.

In April, Chen said the city could close the encampment as long as it followed certain rules. Since then, conditions have continued to devolve, according to many accounts.

The parties are set to argue next steps before Chen next week, Aug. 13.

Berkeley's Harrison corridor is now a "no-lodging area"

In its recent closure notice, Berkeley cited the ongoing presence of leptospirosis in the neighborhood, and said it has now declared the zone — from the railroad tracks to San Pablo Avenue, and from Gilman Street up to Codornices Creek — a "fire hazard and public nuisance."

The entire corridor, which covers about 14 blocks, has also been designated a "no-lodging area."

"Everyone living in this area must either vacate the area or remain inside their vehicles during the City’s abatement work. Failure to comply with this notice may result in citation or arrest," the city advised.

A recent fire marshal inspection found encampments blocking the right-of-way, including "unsafe structures, unsafe storage of propane containers, accumulation of combustible materials, and accumulations" close to property lines, the city said.

The fire marshal also noted "tampering with fire hydrants" and said existing conditions block fire department access.

Berkeley Homeless Union: Why rush?

In response, Berkeley Homeless Union immediately decried the city's closure plan as "unnecessarily rushed" and argued that several disabled people protected by prior Chen decisions had not found places to move.

BHU attorney Anthony Prince also argued that the city had created a "broad 'no-lodging zone' that was never authorized."

Prince wrote that Berkeley had not followed Chen's prior orders for protected individuals, including:

• individualized assessments for tent accommodations
• packing and moving help
• 90-day storage
• replacement of "essential survival property"

He also said the city had offered $100 gift cards "instead of actual replacements."

"There is no reason for this rush to close the camp," he wrote.

In his motion, Prince said the city had overstated the leptospirosis risk and called it a "now-discredited justification."

Prince also observed that that the city had removed 40 tons of garbage from the encampment since February without closing the camp, a sign that other solutions were possible.

"There is no genuine emergency requiring immediate closure of the encampment," he wrote. "The City cannot manufacture urgency where none exists."

Berkeley calls off Harrison homeless camp closure for now

The city confirmed just before publication that no cleanup operation would take place this week at Eighth and Harrison.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Prince said the city had not given some campers large enough tents, and criticized its tent site relocation process, saying it "created a procedural impasse" for disabled campers.

Part of the issue, he argues, is that Berkeley has not outlined where people will be allowed to move — so they don't know where they will be free of enforcement.

The city has said it has no broad ban on camping as long as sidewalks are not blocked, and that they are not required to identify locations for people to go.

Prince also asked Chen to consider "sanctions" against the city because it had failed to share its June leptospirosis update with the court.

(The city says there was no requirement to do so.)

Prince is now seeking a preliminary injunction — the same legal mechanism that held off camp closure from January 2025 until April 2026 — to stop the Harrison encampment closure.

"BHU members with physical and mental disabilities without accommodations face catastrophic harm from displacement," he wrote.

Berkeley Harrison Street court hearing set for Aug. 13

In his three-page order, Judge Chen said he had not been convinced by Prince's claim that Berkeley had backtracked on its leptospirosis concerns.

He also reiterated his position that Berkeley could, in fact, "proceed with abatement without first securing relocation for every affected member."

But he said Berkeley Homeless Union had "raised serious questions" about three narrow issues.

Chen indicated that $100 gift cards alone might not fulfill his requirement that the city replace sleeping bags and clothing destroyed during abatement.

Chen said he also wasn't sure whether the city's position about what items it would store was broad enough, calling out "loose or scattered papers" and "bike carcasses and parts."

And he said he wanted to hear more about the tent relocation process.

Chen said he would hear arguments about a new preliminary injunction next week Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

"Rats screaming at night"

Attorneys for the city addressed all three points directly in a new filing Wednesday and said Berkeley must be allowed to tackle the "serious public health hazards" in the Harrison Street corridor.

First, they said Berkeley initially considered giving out gift cards — but had since decided to provide gear (prior to last week's BHU motion).

As to storage, the city said it prefers not to collect "loose or scattered papers" because they can be contaminated, but will "provide receptacles that can be packed and sealed so that these items can be stored."

As to bike parts, the city said it "intends to accept these" as long as they are "not caked with mud or soil."

On the subject of the tent footprint assessments, the city said it had offered to do them, but that only one person had asked for it.

Going forward, the attorneys also urged Chen to issue deadlines for subsequent discussions, citing "BHU’s failure to provide information" the city needed.

Judge orders Berkeley to stop Harrison encampment cleanup

“The City’s abatement shall cease immediately,” U.S. District Judge Edward Chen wrote Wednesday afternoon.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Calling Berkeley Homeless Union's claims "baseless," the attorneys observed that BHU's most recent filing was the fifth time it had asked Chen "to block the City from addressing the extremely hazardous conditions in the Harrison corridor that have continued to worsen" since January 2025.

They said Chen should "reject any further injunctive relief," arguing that his April ruling had largely settled the matter.

They argued that the city had complied with Chen's requirements, and said those that remain would be handled during the upcoming camp closure.

"BHU has provided no evidence to the contrary, nor can it," the city said. "The City has not failed to engage with or denied a single accommodation request required by the Court’s order," including handing out "replacement tents in residents’ preferred sizes to everyone, regardless of disability status or formal request."

The city also argued that BHU had made matters worse, not better, and should not be rewarded for bad behavior.

"It has deliberately interfered with the City’s efforts to communicate with residents," the attorneys wrote, "misled residents by posting flyers with incorrect information, and encouraged them not to engage with the City, informing them that they will not be subject to abatement if they do not provide the City with information required to accommodate their disabilities."

The misleading notices had advised campers they could not be removed as long as they weren't blocking the sidewalk, attorneys wrote: "The encampment has grown from approximately 37 people to more than 80 since these flyers were posted."

As to the current state of the Harrison corridor, a city worker described "dead rats all over the streets" along with "visible bodily fluids and feces," and sidewalks that "are entirely blocked" so that "cars have to swerve around campsites to drive down the road."

Encampment residents "hear rats screaming at night" and "have had rats run over them while they are sleeping," according to the filing.

The city says it must clear the area to "completely eradicate rodent harborage" and address the leptospirosis issue, with an ongoing "high prevalence" of the disease found in local rats.

Two humans also tested positive, including one who later died, the city said.

Officials also cited public safety calls as evidence of the need to act.

There have been 55 calls to the Berkeley Fire Department this year, including "multiple nearly catastrophic fires," the city said.

Municipal workers have been doing outreach at the encampment since June 26, visiting the site daily to share information about goods and services, as well as disability accommodations, according to the filing.

That's when workers initially posted notices about "upcoming abatement activities" — the planned camp closure, the city said.

Berkeley has also provided other services at the site, attorneys wrote, collecting garbage and maintaining a portable toilet.

Between now and the camp closure, workers will offer replacement tents, clothing and sleeping bags to all site residents; as well as two plastic tubs to be stored by the city for up to 90 days; and packing assistance, the city said.

If the city runs out of items to give away, workers will give out vouchers to get them later.

So far, the city has surveyed 82 people and gotten 40 tent requests, attorneys wrote. Storage bins have been given to 22 people and 24 people have asked for packing help.

"The City has granted all of these requests for packing assistance," according to the motion. "No one has followed up to schedule this assistance."

The city also argues that a new preliminary injunction would be improper, particularly with a Ninth Circuit appeal pending.

"The Court may not at this stage impose new obligations on the City or substantively adjudicate — or re-adjudicate — the rights of the parties with respect to the Harrison encampment," attorneys write.

Stay tuned for ongoing coverage of the Harrison Street corridor encampment on The Berkeley Scanner.

David Denton, 45, faces up to three years in prison and must register as an "arson offender," so police know where to find him, the Alameda County district attorney's office announced Tuesday after the verdict came in.

"Targeting and burning a sacred religious symbol… can cause harm far beyond the physical damage itself," said District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson in a prepared statement. "People of every faith should be able to practice their religion and gather in their communities without fear of intimidation."

Denton was initially arrested Feb. 6 after the incident outside Berkeley Hillel, at 2736 Bancroft Way.

That night, Berkeley police began getting reports at 7:20 p.m. about "some sort of disturbance" near College Avenue and Bancroft Way. A witness told police a man was bleeding outside the student center.

When officers arrived, they found the man with "a deep cut to his left eyebrow."

He told police the assailant had struck him with a rock and robbed him of his artwork down the block.

After that confrontation, police said Denton "used a pocket torch to vandalize a Jewish mezuzah scroll" at Berkeley Hillel, damaging the scroll and the building.

New Berkeley hate crime case for longtime felon

Police say David Denton struck a man with a rock while robbing him Friday night and then vandalized a Jewish center next to campus.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Initially, the DA's office charged Denton with armed robbery (via rock), arson of an inhabited building and vandalism of religious property, according to court records.

The latter two charges included hate crime enhancements, which can lead to a stiffer sentence, records show.

The robbery charge was dropped in separate court proceedings this year.

Tuesday, an Alameda County jury found Denton guilty of arson and vandalism, and Judge Delia Trevino found the hate crime enhancements true, according to court records.

Trevino also found that Denton had been on supervised release at the time of the February crimes. That too can lead to stricter penalties.

Police: Man arrested after threatening Berkeley residents at Channing Way apartment building

A man who entered a Channing Way apartment building and threatened to assault residents Saturday remains in custody this week, police say.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

In the past five years alone, Denton racked up 12 other criminal cases in Alameda County, and an even longer list of arrests, according to court and public records.

Seven of the charged cases included felonies, including one other robbery case. At least one other case included misdemeanor hate crime allegations.

Many of the cases involved vandalism and trespassing charges.

In 2021, Denton committed three different antisemitic hate crimes within just 24 hours, police previously reported.

The next year, he entered an apartment building near campus and threatened residents "with a metal object that could be used to stab someone," police said at the time.

In April 2025, the court placed Denton on unsupervised probation following a misdemeanor vandalism conviction.

After Tuesday's verdict, Denton was remanded into custody, the DA's office said.

He's being held at Santa Rita Jail and is set to be sentenced Sept. 3 at the the René C. Davidson Courthouse in Oakland.

The investigation began in Richmond in June, when officers there responded to a disturbance in a vehicle.

Inside, they found 59-year-old Frank Vieira with a 17-year-old girl who said she'd had sex with Vieira throughout the year and that he'd paid her for it, $100-$120 each time, according to charging papers.

The meetings had taken place in an RV trailer parked at 1241 Sixth St., a U-Haul rental facility, the girl said.

Vieira had access to the trailer as an auto repairman at the facility, located north of Gilman Street, Berkeley police wrote.

The two had met when she was just 16, living in a group home in San Ramon, according to court papers.

Vieira had a reputation for supplying alcohol and drugs at parties and liked to have sex with teenagers, she told police. He picked some of them up at "the Blade" in Oakland, she said, an area that's notorious for prostitution and sex trafficking, including of underage girls.

During the Berkeley investigation, police said they found screenshots on Vieira's phone of internet ads for sex showing that he "regularly purchased commercial sex acts from young women, potentially minors."

The girl backed up her claims with text messages that showed "Vieira requesting sex in exchange for money and favors," police wrote.

She also had "numerous CashApp transactions" showing payments from Vieira, according to court papers.

Officers also found evidence inside Vieira's trailer that were consistent with her account of events, police wrote.

Vieira told police he thought the girl was 19 and claimed "she showed him an ID that must have been fake to prove that she was of age," BPD wrote.

But, according to court papers, the girl said "she clearly told Vieira that she was
seventeen."

"That's okay," he told her, police wrote. "We'll just have to wait until you're eighteen to get married."

Frank Vieira. BPD

The Alameda County district attorney's office has charged Vieira with five counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor during 2026, according to court records.

Vieira has no other charged cases listed in Alameda County Superior Court, but charging papers allege prior convictions of some kind.

Vieira was released from custody last month on a $125,000 bond, records show.

He is scheduled to appear in court next week.

Update: The Scanner added a booking photograph of Vieira to the story right after publication.

July has seen the most cars stolen of any month this year, with 64 taken as of Monday, the most recent date available. The final tally could be at least 10 cars higher.

Current data from the Berkeley Police Department show a 10% increase over last year at this time, with about 340 cars stolen as of Monday.

On a recent day in Berkeley, police got eight reports of stolen cars. Two days later, they got six more. Most days see two or three cars taken.

This week, Berkeley police described how an investigative lead from one recent case took them to an East Oakland chop shop, where they found "more than 50 vehicles that had been stripped for parts, along with several vehicles that had been completely burned."

During the investigation, police also found four Hondas stolen from Berkeley, along with a fifth car, that were "staged for pickup" in East Oakland between 50th Avenue and 66th Avenue along the railroad tracks.

"Each vehicle had been stripped of parts, with the engines removed," Berkeley police said this week.

Officers set up surveillance and saw several people load the stolen engines into a pickup truck the next morning, on July 23, police said.

Members of the Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force (CHP officers, Oakland police and Alameda County Probation) then picked up the surveillance, which led them to the chop shop.

There, they arrested two men on suspicion of possession of stolen property, dismantling or tampering with a vehicle, and operating a chop shop, police said.

One of the men was also arrested on an outstanding warrant for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, BPD said.

As of this week, neither man is in custody, with charges not yet filed, according to police and jail records.

"The investigation remains ongoing as detectives work to identify additional suspects connected to this operation," Berkeley police said in a prepared statement.

Most-stolen cars in Berkeley: Honda Accords, Civics

Honda Accords and Civics made since 2024 have been the biggest targets for auto theft in Berkeley this year, police said.

During their recent investigation alone, they identified more than 25 Honda sedans that had been taken in recent weeks.

Even with the apparent increase, Berkeley auto thefts still appear to be lower than they have been in years.

In their announcement this week, Berkeley police credited Flock license plate readers and other tools for helping find the stolen cars.

They thanked the Oakland Police Department, Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Task Force, California Highway Patrol and Union Pacific Police Department "for their collaboration and assistance throughout this investigation."

Berkeley police tips to limit auto theft

Berkeley police said the following preventive tips can help reduce the risk of auto theft.

• Use a steering wheel lock
• Park in a well-lit area or secured garage whenever possible
• Consider installing an On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) port lock to prevent thieves from accessing a port that can be used to "program new keys and steal keyless-start vehicles in a matter of minutes."

Read more facts about auto theft from the California Highway Patrol.

On Wednesday evening, investigators arrested 19-year-old Darius Tate, described in court papers as an ex-boyfriend with a "history of domestic violence" with the victim, a 19-year-old woman with a 1-year-old baby.

According to court records, the two had dated for six months but were no longer together at the time of the crime.

During Wednesday's arrest, detectives "recovered two loaded handguns and additional evidence believed to be connected to the shooting," Berkeley police said Thursday.

Scroll down for updates to the story.

Tate is now being held in two separate cases, including on suspicion of attempted murder, with arraignment set for Friday, according to booking records.

Police have been looking for Tate, who lives in Hayward, since the June 14 shooting in South Berkeley, according to court papers.

That night, he showed up unannounced at his ex-girlfriend's apartment at about 11, police wrote. They argued and he was violent with her, according to court papers.

When Tate left, she went outside, concerned he would damage her car, which he'd done before, police wrote.

As she walked toward the car, which was parked near Adeline Street and Ashby Avenue, Tate popped out from behind a bench or bushes, ran at her and started shooting, according to court papers.

As the young woman fell to the ground, Tate ran toward Ashby BART and disappeared — but not before stealing cash from the woman's car, according to police.

An elderly woman offered to drive the victim to the hospital, police wrote.

The young woman initially accepted but got out of the car when the driver started going the wrong way.

The victim flagged down police outside the Ashby Stage at 1901 Ashby Ave. The Berkeley Fire Department rushed her to Highland Hospital, the regional trauma center, for care.

The injuries to the young woman's face were extensive, according to early reports, leaving teeth and tissue in the street.

Police quickly secured an arrest warrant for Tate alleging attempted murder, but he proved to be elusive, authorities said.

That changed Thursday when they arrested him in San Leandro, according to jail records.

Darius Tate. BPD

Tate has no prior charged cases in Alameda County Superior Court, and no listed arrests before Wednesday.

In addition to the arrest warrant alleging attempted murder, Tate was also arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, robbery and loaded gun possession in connection with the shooting.

A second case, from April 30, lists domestic violence and vehicle tampering charges.

That day, at 11:25 a.m., police say Tate threw his ex-girlfriend on the ground and took her keys before damaging her car in the 2900 block of Adeline Street (in the same area as the June shooting).

He is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail.

Young woman shot, Berkeley police investigating

The woman, estimated to be 19 years old, was shot in the face, according to early reports.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Update: In a statement Thursday afternoon, police shared more details about this week's arrest, and said they had also arrested the suspect's mother, as an accessory after the fact.

Ann Fernandez. BPD

Ann Fernandez, 53, is being held on $100,000 bail, with arraignment also set for Friday, according to booking records.

According to BPD, Fernandez picked up Tate after the shooting — as captured on surveillance footage — and gave him a change of clothes to help him get away.

On Wednesday, detectives found Tate and his mother at an apartment complex in San Leandro, arresting Tate when he came outside, police said.

BPD used a drone, from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, inside the complex during the search, authorities said.

They later arrested Fernandez elsewhere in San Leandro, police said.

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting at Adeline and Ashby, family members said the victim was "fighting for her life" in the ICU and unable to breathe on her own.

She lost half of her teeth in the attack, they said.

As of this week, Berkeley police said the young woman is "continuing to recover from her injuries."

As of July 30, Berkeley and UC police had investigated two injury shootings and six non-injury shootings this year.

Last year at this time, there had been eight non-injury shootings and a non-fatal police shooting.

Update, 8:40 p.m. The Alameda County district attorney's office has charged Darius Tate with attempted murder, domestic violence (from April and June), vehicle tampering and vandalism, according to court records.

The Scanner will continue to follow the case.

The separated bike lanes are set to run from The Alameda west to the Ohlone Greenway (at Peralta Avenue) when Hopkins Street is repaved in 2027-28.

A preliminary estimate for total project costs — which include pedestrian safety improvements and painted bike lanes from Sutter Street to The Alameda, among other features — is around $20 million, with up to $6 million of that related to the protected bike lanes. Staff cautioned Tuesday night that more detailed financial assessments won't be done until later.

More than 120 people turned out to comment in person or called in via Zoom to make their voices heard.

The two public camps were evenly split between those pulling for protected bike lanes — citing safety and climate concerns — and those staunchly opposed, worried about impacts to their bustling neighborhood shopping district.

Mayor Adena Ishii limited public comment to three hours to allow adequate time for council debate and action. The meeting did not end until nearly 1 a.m.

When it came time to vote, council members Brent Blackaby, Ben Bartlett and Shoshana O'Keefe (who represents the North Berkeley district where most of the project is located) put forward alternatives to the main plan from Rashi Kesarwani — but they ended up one vote shy of a majority despite support from Igor Tregub.

" This is absolutely madness," O'Keefe said, emotion in her voice, shortly before the vote. "Please do not force this expensive, disruptive, unwanted plan on District 5. We do not want it, and there are other alternatives."

When the alternatives failed, O'Keefe and Blackaby (Berkeley Hills) were the only two to vote against the main motion, citing the lack of support in their districts.

In addition to cost, they also raised questions about parking, with the removal of an estimated 145 parking spaces out of 274 spots along Hopkins Street.

"We've never removed all the parking before along a busy commercial corridor," O'Keefe said. "We don't know what would happen."

Proponents of the plan, the council majority and community members alike, including Walk Bike Berkeley, said Berkeley cannot afford to waiver.

"This is about more than just a bike lane on one street," said Councilman Mark Humbert (Claremont-Elmwood), who co-sponsored the Kesarwani plan with Mayor Ishii. "It's about what kind of a city we want to be and what we're willing to do to live up to our professed priorities and principles."

Humbert stressed that the protected Hopkins bike lanes are consistent with the city's Bicycle Plan, Climate Action Plan, Vision Zero Action Plan and Declaration of a Climate Emergency.

" If we are to fight back against the people who say that climate change is a hoax, we here in Berkeley cannot act like climate change is a hoax by refusing to take action in our community and in our lives," he said.

Councilman Terry Taplin (West Berkeley) echoed those concerns.

" These are things that we continuously adopt and declare as priorities," he said. "Far too often, the choice comes to us and, perhaps previously at times, council has not stepped forward in the way that it should have. And I think tonight we can correct that."

Plan supporters repeatedly emphasized that protected bike lanes, also called "cycle tracks," have been found to be safer for all road users and are associated with either improved or neutral economic conditions — not economic doom.

Mayor Ishii said she had gotten more than 1,000 emails about Hopkins Street in the past week alone, and said the concept of protected bike lanes in the neighborhood had been "a source of controversy" for at least 10 years.

Ishii reminded the crowd that the city had designated Hopkins as a high-injury corridor due to its three fatalities and 46 pedestrian and bicycle crashes (including five with suspected serious injuries) from 2011 to 2026.

" I am deeply invested in ensuring that our streets are safe for all users, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. And that is why I support bike lanes on Hopkins Street," she said. "Cyclist infrastructure improves safety for everyone."

She urged patience, saying the time to answer the open questions would come after the vote.

And there are certainly questions, including impacts to local merchants and a longtime neighborhood church; pool and sports field access, included ADA spots and loading zones; how limited driveway visibility might impact road users; and emergency access.

The city has also discussed installing meters to help manage parking turnover.

Kesarwani (who represents Hopkins west of Sacramento Street) said the Berkeley Fire Department had signed off on the cycle track concept as far as "workable emergency access."

Tuesday night, Berkeley Fire Chief Dave Sprague said his department would do a closer analysis of emergency vehicle turning movements, impacts on evacuation times, and emergency access on and near Hopkins once Public Works comes up with a full design set.

O'Keefe asked Interim Public Works Director Wahid Amiri about what kind of coordination there had been with Zero Waste staff to determine how garbage trucks and local buses would fit in the roadway should they meet.

"They would have to maneuver in a calculated manner," Amiri said, which could pose challenges, he added, "depending on the driver skillsets."

"We know there are going to be challenges," he told her. "The specific challenges haven't been identified. All we know is there are going to be challenges."

O'Keefe and Blackaby both urged their colleagues to keep in mind the trade-offs for the city and the neighborhood when the new bike lanes go in.

Blackaby said, by his rough calculations, Hopkins Street could lose 10,000 people a week who currently come by car and don't plan to start biking.

"Many of them are my constituents or Councilmember O'Keefe's constituents. They're going to have to figure out other things to do.  And that's a shift, and that's something that we should just be honest about," he said. " It's not just about parking spots. It's about who's going to use this neighborhood."

O'Keefe's alternative would have paved Hopkins and added painted bike lanes, while directing the city to develop Rose Street into a robust bike boulevard (which is part of the city's bike plan).

Blackaby, Bartlett and Tregub voted with her on that proposal, but it died for lack of a fifth.

Blackaby then put forward his substitute plan (co-sponsored by Bartlett), which asked staff to come up with a viable alternative to the Hopkins cycle track — to connect North and West Berkeley in the Hopkins/Ada/Rose corridor — and then compare them side by side.

His plan would not have delayed Hopkins Street repaving or bike lanes, he said, since that's not set to happen until 2027-28.

But his proposal met the same end as O'Keefe's.

Kesarwani said she felt her Hopkins Street proposal was " the right one for now" — describing the changes as "necessary and overdue."

She said her plan would help protect seniors as well as the many children who walk and bike to school in the corridor every day.

"All of us deserve a safer street," she said.

The Berkeley City Council is now on recess until Sept. 15.

Map: Serious and fatal crashes on and near Hopkins Street in Berkeley since 2016

Note: Click the small box in the left corner below for a list of incidents.

The results were clear: We got more comments, more subscribers and more reader engagement with our work. And when we polled you afterward about the experience, 87% of responding readers said we should keep comments open for good.

Today, I'm happy to share an update: Open comments are here to stay.

Over the past few months, many readers shared thoughtful, candid feedback about potential consequences to open comments. We read every response. Rather than gloss over those concerns, I want to address the most common worries in more detail.

Some wondered whether a bigger pool of commenters would mean more ranting and less substance. But during the monthlong pilot, that's not what we saw. We saw more voices added to the conversation.

And, in case you’re worried, moderation guardrails remain. Comments that flood the feed, add nothing new or turn nasty can be hidden or removed, and repeat offenders will be banned.

Several of you also pointed to cautionary tales elsewhere in local news, and we understand why. The difference between TBS and other comment sections, we believe, is that we require readers to log in with a verified email address before leaving remarks. That alone filters out most trolls.

While more comments may mean a bit more work, moderation remains manageable. Most issues are typically resolved after a warning. And, if moderation becomes more daunting, we'll adjust. 

Most of all, we’re excited about the expanded pool of 13,000-plus registered readers — paying members as well as free subscribers — who can now comment.

For members who feel they are losing a perk, here's our thinking: The most valuable incentive we can offer is a thriving publication with a comments section worth reading. The pilot suggested open comments help on both counts. Membership still comes with real benefits, and we're always considering new ways to boost support. If you have ideas, we want to hear them.

How to comment on The Berkeley Scanner

The rules haven't changed: Anyone with a verified email address who is signed in to the TBS website can comment.

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After registering, update your profile and add a short bio right from the comments section — just click the circle next to the comment box to customize your settings.

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Our longstanding comments policy remains in effect, and we reserve the right to delete comments that violate the rules. That means:

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Thank you for all of the feedback to help inform this decision. We’ll see you in the comments section!

Berkeley police tracked down Israel Pierson in Dublin and arrested him 10 hours after the crime, according to booking records.

Someone in the 1300 block of Ashby Avenue called 911 for help just after 3:30 a.m. Saturday, records show.

Police say Pierson used a pry tool to get inside, then kicked his way through a locked bedroom door.

Scroll down for an update to the story.

There, he confronted his ex-girlfriend and cut her head with a knife, authorities say.

When the woman's roommate tried to intervene, Pierson cut her leg with a knife. (Neither woman ultimately accepted hospital transport.)

Pierson then fled with the women's phones as police and firefighters were responding, BPD said.

On Saturday, Berkeley police secured a warrant for Pierson's arrest and picked him up in Dublin, recovering evidence related to the case, police said.

He was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence, burglary and grand theft, among other crimes, according to booking records.

Israel Pierson. BPD

As of Tuesday, the 20-year-old man remains in custody without bail. His city of residence was not immediately available.

Pierson has no charged cases listed in Alameda County Superior Court.

But, according to arrest records, the San Joaquin County sheriff's office picked up Pierson in 2025 on suspicion of robbery and conspiracy.

In May, police in Fremont arrested him on suspicion of receiving stolen property and giving false information to a peace officer, according to public records.

He's now being held at Santa Rita Jail with arraignment set for Wednesday.

The Scanner has requested his booking photograph from Berkeley police and will add it to this story when it becomes available.

Update, 4:35 p.m. The booking photograph has been added to this story.

Update, 6:40 p.m. The Alameda County district attorney's office has charged Pierson with attempted murder, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence and two counts of grand theft, according to court records.

"Todd Walker live[s] on through us."

Now, six months later, there are signs his gifts are, indeed, living on, according to many who knew him well.

Including at the Todd Walker Live Free Center, the Berkeley violence prevention program where he worked. After his death, it was renamed in his honor.

"He was like our North Star," said the Rev. Michael "Mike" Smith of Berkeley's McGee Avenue Baptist Church, which partners with the city's Live Free program and helped get it going two years ago. "It's still an open wound."

Smith grew up with Walker. Over the years, they worked together in several programs, often based from McGee Baptist, where Walker was a member.

Smith recruited Walker for Berkeley's Live Free program as it was developing.

"Most of the team had a relationship with Todd that predated this work," Smith said. "And so [his death] was very personal. The adjustment was very difficult."

It's only all these months later, he added, "that we're getting our second wind."

A second wind that coincides with what would have been a significant milestone for Walker, Smith said: Today, July 27, would have been his 65th birthday.

To mark the event, Live Free hosted a public celebration for Walker on Sunday at Seventh Street and Bancroft Way with dominos, spades and pinochle tournaments, and other festivities. It continues Monday evening with a balloon release. And a private birthday event for friends and family is planned for later this week.

"I can't speak for everybody at Live Free, but once he passed away it's like the laces in the tennis shoes came out," said Senon Nails, known by many as "Snoop," a Live Free life coach who also grew up with Walker. "Every time we took a step, it's like our foot came out of the shoe."

"We're just now finding some laces — to lace these shoes and get back out on these streets."

Street tested, Todd Walker was committed to peace

Walker, who died of a heart attack at his home in El Sobrante, spent much of his adult life helping people caught up in violence, on the verge of it, or actively trying to move on and survive in legit ways, versus criminal. He helped both strangers and friends.

"Todd has kept a lot of people alive," Nails said. He counts himself one, after years of addiction, arrests and prison. "I'm really grounded right now and it's because of him."

Walker's drive stemmed in large part from his own struggles as a young person, close calls, bad decisions, scares and regrets, family and friends said.

One of six brothers, Walker's family moved from Alameda to Berkeley when he was about 6, settling in the southwest part of the city. He attended Berkeley public schools, graduating from Berkeley High in 1976.

As a teen, Walker fell into the street drug scene, desperate for a few bucks, influenced by a risky peer comfort zone that all too easily becomes a dangerous trap, friends said.

But unlike many, Walker did a complete turn-around in his 20s, after being hit hard by the shooting death in Berkeley of a member of his crew, Nails said.

He quit the lifestyle.

"In the drug world, it's dog eat dog. He was a dude that transcended into that good person. People say it can't happen, but it can," Nails said.

Standing as living proof that major change is possible, no matter how hard you're hurting, or how confused or stuck you feel, fueled Walker's lifelong urge to help others in the rocky boat he'd once been in, friends and family said.

Sometimes it was a paid job, such as with Live Free. Sometimes a volunteer. A hobby. An avocation. Spiritual calling. For Walker, it was all of these.

"If you were needing something, he'd give you his last," said Lena Reese, his girlfriend who lived with him in El Sobrante at the time of his death.

Regardless of a person's circumstances, Reese added, including if they were in trouble with others, or the law.

"He's still gonna lift you up and put you on your feet," she said.

In many ways, this commitment stemmed from family values, said Ralph Walker, one of Todd's brothers.

"My mother started going out feeding the homeless on Gilman Street," he said. "We grew up around a lot of people who were less fortunate."

Walker "was a people person," Ralph said. "He loved people, and people loved him."

After high school, Walker worked as a custodian at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, eventually finding satisfying work as funeral assistant then director at Oakland's Baker Prado Funeral Home, where he stayed for 20 years. He retired last year.

He started at Baker Prado cleaning carpets, working his way up, his brother said.

Walker had two daughters, Tenisha and Tajah, and four grandchildren. Family was at his center, many said.

"Tremendous relationships, tremendous amount of respect"

Walker had been trying to retire for good when the Live Free calling came, said Reese, his partner: "He's a person who just can't sit; he's got to get up and do something."

To Pastor Smith, Walker was a perfect fit. They'd worked closely on other violence prevention efforts, as well as broader community outreach, helping the poor, the homeless, the sick.

Rev. Michael "Mike" Smith. Courtesy

A national program started in Oakland in 2011 by the Rev. Michael McBride, Live Free uses a community-based intervention model where life coaches and outreach workers forge trusting relationships, often where they live or grew up, to try to guide people away from negative choices.

Most, like Walker, have lived experience in street violence — it's a culture they get.

"Todd had a lot of pull because of his longstanding relationships. Tremendous connections, tremendous relationships, tremendous amount of respect," Smith said. At his funeral in February, 700 people showed up.

"He was well loved," said Kentrell Killens, Live Free's field service director in Berkeley. "He used his relationships. He pulled in family members and parental figures. He pulled in other cultures and peer groups. He knew the power of influence."

In community intervention, workers show up at crime scenes, hospitals, funerals, prison cells, tense huddles in living rooms or cars, in the hopes of connecting people to pathways out of trouble, to services and resources that believe everyone has potential, and in second chances, maybe third or fourth.

And standing by them as they try to change. It takes mutual trust.

"In violence prevention, it's really about buying time. If we can get them to say not today, hopefully we can get them to say not tomorrow either. Eventually we hope to see them winding down, dwindling down," said Killens.

Walker found ways to teach on the field, in the funeral home

Walker brought his touch to many other settings, too.

During his decades of coaching and directing the Berkeley Cougars, a community youth football league, he kept an eye out for kids vulnerable to trouble, and was right there with support. And they knew it.

Same with the East Bay Heat youth track club he helped bring back from dormancy with his brother Ralph.

A sports nut, Walker played football in high school, and was a die-hard 49ers fan, as well as enjoying most major sports. He saw sports as an excellent medium for communicating with young people, filled with teaching moments, his friends said.

"What started to hit [Walker] the most was when he started to see the same men he was coaching at these homicides," said Killens, who also met Walker when they were kids.

Over the years, Killens said, Walker's players became victims as well as offenders.

Violence prevention was also woven into Walker's work at the funeral home, where he helped lay to rest many people killed by gunfire, of all ages, including people he knew.

He set high standards for peaceful services when a death triggered beef among community members, including gang rivals, Killens said. Services could become scenes of retribution, and get rowdy, tense.

Not under Walker's watch.

"He started having rules. He expected respect, he gave respect. People sat down and the room went quiet," Killens said. "He said, 'This is how we're going to do it for the family.'"

Walker also brought young people to the funeral home to see the deceased to show them, straight up, what death looks like.

"I don't want to see you at a funeral home, I don't want to be at your service next," he'd tell them.

Tajah Walker, Walker's youngest daughter, said: "He saw the potential in the youth, recognizing that many of them just needed someone who believed in them. He was a father figure to many, younger and older."

As hurting colleagues heal, they take Todd Walker with them

Walker was one of six full-time Berkeley Live Free outreach workers, a group so small that the loss of one creates an imbalance, a gap. Today, they work out of an office on Adeline Street, shared with Live Free California, a sister effort.

Life coaches, outreach workers. And credible messengers, or mentors with lived experience in street life and the justice system now turning things around, who get a stipend for their help.

In 2024, the city funded a two-year $2 million Live Free pilot program as part of its Reimagining Public Safety initiative. Some of this funding was for analysis by the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, based in Oakland.

Around $450,000 in grant money boosted this pot last year and, as of the city's recent budget, which added $200,000, the program is funded through June 2027, Smith said.

2024 Berkeley crime snapshot: Most crimes saw steep drops

In 2023, Berkeley saw a significant spike in serious crime reports, but nearly all the numbers plummeted in 2024.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Two years isn't long enough to really measure the program's impact statistically. It launched at a time the city, as well as the nation, were seeing a decrease in violent crime.

But the City Council took steps to keep the program alive even in today's tough budget times — and expressed strong support in recent meetings.

Similar intervention programs exist nationwide, especially in high crime cities, often with strong community buy-in. A recent published review of the research on the credible messenger approach concluded it shows promise, and needs more study.

Compared to nearby cities, Berkeley has low rates of gun violence. Last year, the city had no injury shootings due to street crime.

But any shooting across the East Bay, from Antioch to Berkeley, from Oakland to Vallejo, could have a Berkeley connection and impact, Killens said, with residents as victims or as perpetrators.

Live Free has seen it all. The work doesn't stop at city borders.

"We try to prevent one situation from developing to two or three. Which is almost impossible if you don't have the respect of the individuals and the communities," Killens said.

As they adjust to Walker's death, his colleagues are bringing his wisdoms along with them, they said, adding to their own.

Listening without judgement. Believing in the potential of all people, regardless of the rough roads they've walked. And, sometimes, tough love. Holding a high bar for civil, respectful behavior.

One important thing he learned from Walker, Nails said, was that in any violent exchange, both sides are left hurting, the victim and the offender, as well as their loved ones.

"Todd was teaching me, you never lean one sided. Let the world know both families are grieving. There are two losses," he said.

"Another piece of his wisdom is in helping people understand they can have a second chance at life. We may have to make some tough decisions to change ourselves, before we can change the community," Smith said.

Or simply: "You gotta be the change you want to see."

They feel Walker right there telling them to not miss a beat, colleagues said.

"Peace is a fragile thing," Smith said. "Todd wanted us to make sure that we believe peace is possible, and that we could make a difference, but it's a tough struggle, and we can't just walk away. He was committed to this work, and he'd want us to continue. We're continuing to press, we're still pressing."

An exterior lithium ion battery caught fire at a North Berkeley home Sunday, quickly spreading to a towering palm tree nearby, according to early reports.

Readers who saw the dramatic sight, in the 1400 block of Milvia Street, near Vine Street, shared photos and videos with The Scanner.

Community members began calling 911 just after 3:30 p.m. to report flames "as tall as a gate" that grew to flames "as tall as the home" in just minutes, according to emergency dispatches reviewed by The Scanner.

Arriving Berkeley firefighters saw smoke coming from a detached shed as residents made their way outside.

It didn't take long for firefighters to determine that there had been no spread to the main house, according to radio dispatches.

There were no injuries.

Berkeley police helped with traffic control during the fire response.

Word quickly spread among those in the area about what happened.

Resident Tracey Bornstein told The Scanner that "an odor of electrical fire permeated the vicinity before the tree caught fire." He lives about two blocks from the site. "My neighbor and I both checked all our appliances for overheating."

As for the palm tree, Bornstein said, flames could be seen between the fronds "but they proved difficult to photograph."

Aaron Gobler, who also lives in the neighborhood, was on the block during the emergency response.

"It looks like perhaps the fire company cut out part of the wall that the battery was attached to," he said. "They took the battery out on a dolly, and they wrapped it in plastic."

"It’s not clear how the fire got into the tree," Gobler continued. "It was just the top of the tree that was smoking."

BFD Battalion Chief DeJuan Turner told The Scanner that embers from the fire had drifted into the palm tree, which is right above where the battery is stored.

The residents use solar panels to charge the battery, which powers a Tesla at the home.

The Scanner updated this story slightly just after publication as additional details became available.

The collision in downtown Berkeley caused only minor damage to the building, Battalion Chief DeJuan Turner, with the Berkeley Fire Department, said.

The incident took place at 12:35 p.m. on Shattuck Avenue at Bancroft Way, just south of the old Regal UA movie theater, which closed in February 2023 pending demolition for housing.

The cause of Sunday's crash may have been medical, with unconfirmed reports from the scene that the driver lost consciousness just before the collision.

Berkeley police and firefighters responded.

The driver, a 70-year-old woman, and her 31-year-old passenger, were taken to the hospital for assessment, but it was largely precautionary, authorities said.

The city's forestry division is expected to assess the damaged tree.

Turner said BFD would contact the building owner, but did not anticipate structural concerns.

Given the limited space in the parking area, "you can't go too fast," he added.

The commercial storefront the driver struck is vacant, although a boba cafe called "THub" has announced plans to move in.

Prior tenants on the block have included Build Pizzeria and Western Pacific, which closed in 2020.

Starting Saturday morning, the shelter will be in "soft opening" mode, with adoptions and return-to-owner services back on track.

"While this is a big step forward, we are still not back to normal, and being open will look a little different than what we are used to," Mike St. Pierre, Berkeley's Animal Services manager, told volunteers Friday afternoon by email. "We are currently operating with significantly reduced usable space."

The space restrictions mean some services and access will remain reduced for the foreseeable future, pending permits and repairs.

Work is still underway in the lobby, lobby stairwell and second-floor landing, St. Pierre told volunteers. Cats remain unavailable for adoption.

The shelter is accepting stray, ill and injured animals, but owner surrenders are only partially back.

"We will accept animals if it is an unsafe situation for the animal or owner," he wrote. "We will also provide more field services, though staffing may impact this."

For now, the shelter will restrict the number of people — visitors and volunteers alike — who are inside the building at one time.

In his email, St. Pierre asked volunteers to limit their signups to one shift per day so more people can participate.

"Given the shelter's current state, we need to prioritize safety and avoid creating more challenges while we are still getting back on our feet," he wrote. "I am sorry that we can’t have more volunteers in to help the animals, but hopefully we won’t have to wait too much longer."

Meanwhile, Peter Taraba, the suspect in last month's animal shelter fire, was released from custody in early July on $25,000 bail, according to court records.

He is scheduled for a jury trial Aug. 31.

The Berkeley Animal Shelter is located at 1 Bolivar Drive. The shelter is open Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the city website. See complete operating hours and donation information on the city website.

Connect with Berkeley Animal Care Services and Friends of Berkeley Animal Care Services on Instagram.

Police identified the weapon as a screwdriver and said the man is expected to recover.

The man called 911 himself at about 8:40 a.m. and met officers outside his home, in the 1700 block of Lincoln Street.

The Berkeley Fire Department took him to a local hospital with wounds to his hands and abdomen.

The man's son, 26-year-old Zachary Vasconcellos-Johnson, emerged from the backyard soon after, Berkeley police said.

Officers arrested him without incident, authorities said.

Zachary Vasconcellos-Johnson. BPD

Vasconcellos-Johnson was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and elder abuse, both felonies, according to booking records.

He has no prior charged cases in Alameda County Superior Court, according to court records.

Vasconcellos-Johnson is now being held on $40,000 bail.

He is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday.

There had been 102 felony assaults in Berkeley as of July 21, according to the Berkeley Police Department Transparency Hub.

Last year, there had been 95 felony assaults at this time, a 7% increase.

Berkeley police said officers responded to the crash, in the 2800 block of Sacramento Street, at about 1:10 p.m.

Police blocked southbound traffic at Oregon Street, and northbound traffic at Julia Street, for the investigation.

The cyclist, who is reportedly 66 years old, was thrown approximately 10 feet into the air and initially knocked unconscious, authorities said.

According to unconfirmed reports, he was riding his bike across the street when a southbound driver struck him at about 25 mph.

A witness reported "major damage to the windshield from impact."

The cyclist was taken "Code 3" (with lights and sirens) to Highland Hospital for treatment.

No other details were immediately available.

The investigation is ongoing.

Update, 2:20 p.m. The roadway has reopened.

Police also confirmed that the driver remained at the scene to cooperate with the investigation. No arrests were made.

For decades, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office provided an on-demand online arrest log showing all arrests in the county within 24 hours of the search.

This month, that tool disappeared. The Scanner set out to find out why.

First: Why does it matter?

Daily arrest logs help reporters know what police are doing and what cases to ask about. It doesn't cover all police activity, but it's a start.

Being able to review a list of inmates, and see their charges, within hours of an arrest helps us understand what crimes are happening when people want to know about them most.

The decision to remove the daily arrest log is especially challenging now that many local agencies have privatized police radio traffic, which Americans had used since the 1940s to know what police were doing and where they were doing it.

Without radio traffic, there continues to be no way to consistently and reliably know what police are doing fast enough to see it for ourselves. That makes it much harder to determine what actually happened.

The county's online arrest log was the primary way to learn about Berkeley arrests quickly enough for them to be timely. As it stands, this information is now delayed for several days — when, for most people, the news cycle has moved on.

The arrest log also helped fill in gaps, providing basic details that are public but not always available from police, particularly as short staffing means fewer resources to handle media inquiries as officers juggle more work on the street.

So why did the online arrest log go away?

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) let us know that scammers had begun targeting family members of inmates and asking them to send money to a fraudulent program that claimed to get them out of jail on an ankle monitor.

How were they finding inmate names? Through the online log.

As a result, ACSO removed the longstanding 24-hour lookup tool to "reduce the potential for misuse," said Sgt. Roberto Morales, sheriff's office spokesman.

The department has now launched an investigation into the scam and hopes to hear from anyone who has been affected.

In a notice earlier this month, the sheriff's office emphasized that no legitimate law enforcement agency will ever call to demand payment for ankle monitors, payment in lieu of arrest or compensation for related services.

Anyone who believes they are being targeted should hang up immediately and call the Alameda County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 510-667-7721, authorities said.

They can also report fraudulent activity to the Federal Trade Commission.

One red flag is to be asked for payment via Bitcoin, Western Union or other electronic transfers, MoneyPak/Green Dot, Vanilla Reload or gift cards, the sheriff's office said.

To make matters worse, scammers are using "increasingly sophisticated tactics," including spoofing local phone numbers and using the names of actual sheriff's office personnel, authorities said.

"Even if the caller sounds convincing because they (1) call from a local number, (2) refer to you by name, or (3) have other personal information about you, it is a scam!" the sheriff's office said in the recent alert. "Play it safe and never agree to send money or meet up with someone from an unsolicited contact."

It should go without saying: The Berkeley Scanner does not want anyone to fall victim to a scam.

And we understand there are often competing needs that guide these decisions.

But we do advocate for a solution that preserves timely access to dwindling public information while also protecting the public from being targeted by bad actors.

Fortunately, we are in touch with local authorities to see what solutions might still be available. Those conversations are ongoing.

But this change has not come in a vacuum.

Alameda County already has some of the most onerous access requirements in the region for online court records, and some of the stricter rules about media coverage in our courthouses.

And last year's police radio encryption continues to restrict what the public knows about local police activity. Many things we used to know have disappeared into a black box, never to be seen again. This impacts Bay Area reporting on a daily basis.

In case you haven't heard, journalism is struggling. The industry has repeatedly tried to reinvent itself to meet shifting reader demands. That, too, is a work in progress.

But the less useful we are to readers, the less incentive there is to support the local reporting that's left.

We hope to avoid losing yet another tool for providing timely information, particularly when it comes to public safety, if there is any viable alternative.