Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Reward Offered To Find Killer Who Shot Aspiring Rapper In Berkeley

Also check out Five Little Monkeys Toys August Warehouse Sale on the Berkeley Patch calendar

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Good morning Berkeley! We're back again in your inbox, keeping you updated with what's happening in and around town. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Berkeley police renew $50,000 reward in decade-old park shooting
  • How Berkeley's utility tax and state policies inflate your power bill
  • What's next for Berkeley's controversial Harrison Street homeless encampment?

Also on today's calendar: Five Little Monkeys Toys August Warehouse Sale and 10 more events.

Today's riddle: Why do fish live in salt water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Clearing and cool, with a high of 69 and low of 58 degrees.
  • Friday: Breezy in the afternoon, temps: high: 71, low: 58.
  • Saturday: Partly sunny and nice, with a high of 74 and low of 58 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Reward Offered To Find Killer Who Shot Aspiring Rapper In Berkeley (patch.com) — Berkeley police are renewing their appeal for information in the unsolved killing of 22-year-old aspiring rapper Alex Goodwin Jr., shot outside his grandmother's home near San Pablo Park in 2016. Marking the 10-year anniversary, detectives are highlighting a $50,000 reward and urging anyone with even minor details to contact Berkeley police.
   

2. UC Berkeley analysis blames regressive state policies for high electricity bills (dailycal.org) — Berkeley residents are paying extra on already high California electricity bills, including a 7.5% city utility tax meant to fund long-term grid improvements. A UC Berkeley analysis says state wildfire and solar policies push costs onto non-solar, often lower‑income customers, while a Berkeley councilmember urges residents to explore cheaper providers and rate plans as state lawmakers debate fairer funding models.
   

3. SoCal mom slams Berkeley officials over homeless camps near campus (amedpost.com) — A large homeless encampment near UC Berkeley student housing on Harrison Street is drawing criticism from a Southern California parent and renewed scrutiny of the city's encampment policies. A federal judge has signaled the long‑running Eighth and Harrison camp could be cleared soon, ordering Berkeley to review alternative sites for some residents as officials cite health, sanitation, and rat‑related disease concerns.
   

4. Berkeley squatter accused of terrorizing three workers with a metal pipe inside shuttered church (pulptastic.com) — Three contractors were allegedly attacked with a metal pipe by a man squatting inside the long‑closed Trinity United Methodist Church near UC Berkeley's Recreational Sports Facility during a busy student move‑in weekend. Police say the confrontation caused about $20,000 in damage before a nearby UC Berkeley officer helped make an arrest, raising fresh concerns about safety at vacant properties and around the campus area.
   

5. From green apple cucumber to red kuri squash, here's what Berkeley residents are growing in their gardens (berkeleyside.org) — Berkeley neighbors are showing off surprisingly abundant home gardens, from corn and red kuri squash to tomatoes, berries, herbs and even first-time limes in North Berkeley. A callout on social media drew photos, memories and a few jokes, revealing just how much food — and pride — local backyards are producing this summer.
   

📸 Around Berkeley

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Review of Alina Chan's, "How to Stop a Lab Leak from Starting the Next Pandemic." —Biolab Watch Read on Patch
  • I've been hoping to take on a project like this for a while.
    What you're looking at is about 85 images stacked together to reveal the magic of the Milky Way arch over Yosemite. Can you spot Half Dome? The… (Nextdoor Rose District)
  • There's so much pain, fear and disconnection, turned to callousness/heart-hardening, pessimism, defensiveness and aggression, SO:
    Let's all make an effort to slow down a bit and land with the heart in ourselves and make genuine contact with people. Out of a place of love and… (Nextdoor Glendale-Terraceview)
  • YMCA of the East Bay posted a job opening for On Call Residence Custodial & Desk Representative - UNION in Berkeley. Apply here.
  • Cupcakin' Bake Shop posted a job opening for Quality Control Manager, Front of House (FOH) in Berkeley. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Berkeley here.

Ok Berkeley! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Pepper makes them sneeze (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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